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Chapter Text

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Chapter 1

Luke staggered through the snow, struggling to think clearly as he put as much distance between himself and the ice cave as possible. It was getting dark, the temperature dropping quickly…and his Tauntaun a meal back in said cave. He was so tired…he shook himself and wriggled his arms out of his jacket sleeves to hug his chest, sacrificing the balance for trying to keep his limbs warm. He could feel frozen blood on his face and as the storm worsened it got harder and harder to see.

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Princess Leia stood inside the dark entrance to the Rebel base, waiting for a sign of the two Rebel heroes. She shivered in the cold wind as, nearby, Chewie sat with his head in his hands. In the background, Artoo and Threepio moved through the doors. 

A Rebel lieutenant walked to Major Derlin, an officer keeping watch with the princess. “Sir, all the patrols are in. There's still no contact from Skywalker or Solo,” he dropped the volume on the last bit.

“Mistress Leia, Artoo says he's been quite unable to pick up any signals, although he does admit that his own range is far too weak to abandon all hope,” Threepio offered, trying to be helpful and Leia nodded an acknowledgment, but she was lost in thought. She knew they were alive, she could feel it, she would know if they were dead.

“Your Highness, there's nothing more we can do tonight. The shield doors must be closed,” Derlin tried to give the news gently, he’d been at Yavin, had seen how close the three were, how the two men had supported the Princess through her grief. Unable to do anything to help he turned to the Lieutenant, “Close the doors.”

“Yes, sir.” He walked away to ensure the order was followed.

Chewie let out a long, mournful howl in grief, not just for Han but for the boy who shared a name with a hero. He knew the name Skywalker, he had been Ahsoka Tano’s Master even if Chewie hadn’t met him after escaping with the Togruta from the Trandoshan hunting guild. 

At the same moment, Artoo began a complex series of efficient beeps.

“Artoo says the chances of survival are seven hundred seventy-five...to one.”

Leia stood, praying to herself as the huge metal doors slammed across the entrance of the ice cave, the loud booms echoed throughout the huge cavern. Chewie let out another suffering howl.

“Actually, Artoo has been known to make mistakes... from time to time,” Threepio turned away, patting R2’s domed head. “Oh, dear, oh, dear.  Don't worry about Master Luke. I'm sure he'll be all right. He's quite clever, you know... for a human being.”

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Luke forced one foot in front of the other, eyes closed and head down to protect his face from the sharp, cold wind. A misstep had him tumbling down the slope to lie in the snow and ice at the bottom, barely conscious, but pure survival instinct had him struggling to his knees. He blinked blearily, a distant part of his brain saying he was hallucinating but…Ben?

“Luke... Luke.”

That was Ben’s voice…he was dead? Wasn’t he? “Ben?” he managed to gasp out past bloody, chapped lips.

“You will go to the Dagobah system,” Ben stood tall and distant, looking down at him, clinging to Jedi serenity while his heart cried out at the condition of the boy he has watched over all his life.

“Dagobah…. system?” Luke collapsed back into the snow, flopping onto his back.

“There you will learn from Yoda, the Jedi Master who instructed me,” It wasn’t a lie, he had learnt much from Yoda as a Youngling and Initiate, even as a Council Member. He wanted to help Luke but there was nothing he could do. The girl was too tightly shielded to hear him.

The image of Ben faded, revealing a lone Tauntaun rider approaching from the windswept horizon.

“Ben... Ben…” Luke groaned weakly, delirious before finally surrendering to darkness.

Han pulled up and leapt off his mount. He hurried to his snow-covered friend, cradling him in his arms. Han's Tauntaun let out a low, pitiful bellow but Han's concern was with Luke, and he shook him urgently, with all the gear they were wearing he had no way to look for a pulse. “Luke!  Luke! Don't do this, Luke. Come on, give me a sign here,” Han wasn’t ashamed of begging. Luke had gone from bratty farm kid to the little brother he’d never had, not that he had ever told him. He could not be dead! Luke didn’t respond, and Han’s heart sank. He began frantically rubbing and slapping Luke's unconscious face.  As he started to lift the youth, Han heard a rasping sound behind him. He turned, just in time to see his Tauntaun stagger and then fall over into the snow, swearing, there went their way back. Han carried Luke to the moaning beast as, with a final groan, the Tauntaun died. “Not much time,” he muttered as he put Luke as close as he could get him to the beast, seeking some sort of heat for his friend.

“Ben... Ben...” Luke moaned, barely audible, and Han felt a surge of joy, he wasn’t too late!

“Hang on, kid.”

“Dago…bah…syst…”

Han ignited Luke's saber and cut the beast from head to toe. He quickly tossed its steaming innards into the snow. “Whew...” he fought down the urge to gag.

“Dagobah...”

“This may smell bad, kid...” Han paused and then began manoeuvring the delirious young man into the body.

“Yoda...”

“...but it will keep you warm... til I get the shelter built,” he panted as he fought to get Luke inside the carcass. “Ooh... I thought they smelled bad on the outside!” The wind was picking up considerably, making it difficult to move. Han removed a pack from the dead creature's back, taking out a shelter container. He began to set up the pitiful protection against the bitter Hoth night. Once it was up he got them inside and activated the small heating stove before getting out his rations. He put a cup next to the stove, filled with snow, it melted quickly and then he had to manoeuvre Luke upright enough he wouldn’t choke before coaxing him into drinking the water, he needed to stay hydrated. He set some rations to heat and then dug out the sleeping gear, wrapping them both in it to share heat before getting his small medical heat to tend Luke’s injuries.

What had happened to the kid since he last reported in? As he cleared the blood away he realised some of the wounds were claw marks, a predator had tried to kill him? There were rumours of large creatures, but they hadn’t seen any definite proof of them, just Luke’s luck to run into one. Luke flinched as he cleaned a particularly deep gash, blue eyes opening slightly. “Luke? You with me?” he called gently as he covered the wound.

“Ngh…” his head lolled, and Han steadied him. “Han?”

“Yeah, it’ me. You’re going to be okay,” he promised. “I need you to stay awake, got to get some food into you.” He grabbed the runny soup like food and grimaced but began feeding it to Luke as he slipped in and out of consciousness, making him worry about a head injury, there was some blood in his hair but that could have come from anywhere. Once they had both eaten he lay down and held on tight to his friend, forcing him to wake up on and off through the night as the temperature plummeted. Eventually it got so cold he had to keep Luke awake all the time, he might not wake back up if he fell asleep again.

Hope came with the sun rise and he went to work digging them out and then trying to get a signal on the radio. When the speeders appeared on the horizon he lit a flare and finally made contact on the radio with Rogue Two. They quickly landed, and Zev and Wes scrambled to get Luke into the back seat of Rogue Two, no one liking his condition. Han scrambled into the second and then they were off, emergency calls for medical aide going out.

As soon as they reached the base Luke was rushed to the medical ward where he was quickly prepped and then settled into a bacta tank, just as Leia ran in. She was shocked when she saw the mess his face was in and turned to Han. “What happened?”

“Don’t know, he’s been barely coherent when awake. Looks like he was attacked by something though.”

They watched as the medical droids scanned the results and added various medications. “Commander Skywalker is suffering from hypothermia, mild dehydration and frostbite as well as multiple lacerations to the face. Fortunately, the extreme cold stemmed the blood loss however infection had already set in. He will require two days full immersion to give the best chance of a complete recovery however there will be facial scaring.”

“Thank you,” Han answered the droid since Leia couldn’t at the moment. Han then allowed the droid to check him over but thankfully he was okay other than exhausted from the stressful night. They only left when Wedge and Hobbie came in to check on their Commander.

Rogue Squadron was very protective of their young Commander and for good reason, he was pretty much the most wanted man in the Galaxy. He had a massive bounty and what worried everyone was that the bounty was for alive. Luke had been run through every interrogation resistance training program the Alliance had because with a bounty that large everyone knew he would be captured one day. That Vader was behind the bounty…well he was known to kill anyone with Force sensitivity and Luke was the closest the Alliance had to an actual Jedi. Not to mention he personally blew up the Death Star taking over a million people with it. That was a massive death toll and the Squadron knew that haunted Luke even three years later. Luke was a brilliant pilot, the best they had, and also a good mechanic with a knack for fixing things others couldn’t but he was still a farm boy so they had taken it upon themselves to ensure he learnt everything he could, from Alliance history to hand to hand combat, for which they generally roped in any bored ground troops who loved getting one up on the pilots by tossing them around.

For the next two days they took it in shifts to sit by the tank, everyone relieved when Luke stopped thrashing and fighting deliriously and settled into a deep sleep. Han and Chewie were the ones on watch when Luke was finally removed from the tank, they waited quietly as Luke was cleaned off and helped to dress before being settled on a recovery bed. Han hated seeing the kid look so weak but when Luke managed a small grin he returned it just as the droids entered the room.

“Master Luke, sir, it's so good to see you fully functional again,” Threepio announces as Artoo beeped his good wishes. “Artoo expresses his relief, also.”

“How are you feeling, kid? You don't look so bad to me. In fact, you look strong enough to pull the ears off a Gundark,” Han offered, and Luke laughed softly.

“Thanks to you.”

“That's two you owe me, junior,” he warned, turning as Leia entered the room. He looked at her with a big, devilish grin. “Well your Worship, looks like you managed to keep me around for a little while longer.” He didn’t really want to leave anymore, but he knew Jabba was mad, he’d already run into one bounty hunter, he needed to pay off his debt or he’d be a risk to Alliance security.

“I had nothing to do with it. General Rieekan thinks it's dangerous for any ships to leave the system until we've activated the energy shield,” she answered haughtily.

“That's a good story. I think you just can't bear to let a gorgeous guy like me out of your sight,” Han smirked and winked at Luke who was watching in amusement.

“I don't know where you get your delusions, laser brain,” she snapped back.

Chewie roared in laughter, amused by their words when he could smell the attraction. Han, enjoying himself, regarded Chewie good-humouredly.

“Laugh it up, fuzzball. But you didn't see us alone in the south passage. She expressed her true feelings for me,” Han smirked as Luke looked to Leia, curious.

Leia was flushed, eyes darting between Luke and Han. “My...!  Why, you stuck up… half-witted... scruffy-looking ...nerf-herder!” She spluttered out, angry.

“Who's scruffy-looking?” he demanded before looking at Luke. “I must have hit pretty close to the mark to get her all riled up like that, huh, kid?” he teased, and Luke shook his head, he wasn’t getting in the middle

Leia looked vulnerable for a moment, then the mask fell again, and she focused on Luke. “Well, I guess you don't know everything about women yet?” With that she leant over and kissed Luke on the lips, much to his shock. Then she turned on her heel and walked out, leaving everyone in the room slightly dumbstruck. With some smugness, Luke put his hands behind his head and grinned, even if that kiss had left him feeling very conflicted.

Suddenly, in the distance, the muffled sound of an alarm was heard, and the loudspeaker came on. “Headquarters personnel, report to command centre.”The voice repeated the order and Han, Chewie, Artoo, and Threepio hurried out of the room, bidding farewell to Luke.

“Take it easy,” Han called over his shoulder.

Luke lay back, knowing there was nothing he could do at the moment. He liked Leia, had from the moment he had seen the image of her…but did he like her like that? She was so different to anyone he had ever known. Then there was the obvious attraction between her and Han, despite the age gap. It was all very confusing.

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Controllers working the vast complex of electronic controls heard ominous approaching footsteps and looked up from their controls in the pits on the bridge. Admiral Ozzel and General Veers, who had been conferring near the front, also felt the approaching presence and turned toward it. Darth Vader, Lord of the Sith, entered like a chill wind. As Vader moved across the wide bridge, Captain Piett hurried up to Ozzel.

“Admiral,” he called to his superior.

“Yes, Captain?”

“I think we've got something, sir. The report is only a fragment from a probe droid in the Hoth system, but it's the best lead we've had,” he offered quietly. He was new, but he already knew Ozzel was incompetent and self-serving, not that that was uncommon in the Imperial Navy.

“We have thousands of probe droids searching the galaxy. I want proof, not leads!” Ozzel snapped, irritated by Piett’s interruption.

“The visuals indicate life readings.”

“It could mean anything. If we followed every lead...”

“But, sir, the Hoth system is supposed to be devoid of human forms,” Piett argued while trying not to be too insubordinate.

Vader heard the soft argument and turned to approach them, looking down at the images the probe had returned of a structure in the snow. “You found something?”

Piett straightened instinctively and brought up all the data for the Sith to see. “Yes, my lord.”

Vader studied the image and data, feeling the Force whisper. “That's it. The Rebels are there.” And so was Skywalker. He had missed the boy twice so far, he would not escape again.

“My lord, there are so many uncharted settlements. It could be smugglers, it could be...” Ozzel tried to point out.

“That is the system. And I'm sure Skywalker is with them. Set your course for the Hoth system. General Veers prepare you men,” Vader growled, and the men came to attention.

“At once My Lord,” Veers quickly left to get his men ready for a ground assault with the added annoyance of snow.

Vader went to the front of the Bridge, standing before the massive viewport, staring out at the rest of Death Squadron, not long after they made the jump to lightspeed, heading for Hoth and his son… Luke Skywalker… he had almost killed Fett when the Bounty Hunter had reported the identity of the pilot from Yavin and yet the Force had declared his information was true. How had the child survived? Had Kenobi cut him from…. from Her dead body? Or… had his Master lied? Had She survived long enough to give birth at least? Perhaps the boy knew how she had died, though it was unlikely Kenobi would have told him if the Jedi had cut the babe from his Mother’s body. Kenobi… finally, his old Master was dead, so why did he not feel more triumphant over their duel?

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Luke pulled on his uniform and then his flight suit on over it, glad Wedge had dropped the clothes off earlier. Since Han and Chewie had taken care of the probe droid the base had become a hive of activity as they worked to pack everything up to evacuate. They had barely gotten Echo Base up and running and now they had to abandon it. He was still tired, and a little sore but Rogue Squadron needed all its pilots. The two Squadrons assigned to the base were handling escort duties for the ships. They’d gotten two ships and their escorts away so far, taking the injured and less combat able personnel to safety before there was a chance of the Empire arriving.

“Sir, it will take quite a while to evacuate the T-forty- sevens,” the medical droid that had been caring for him said as Luke strapped on his weapons, lightsabre and blaster.

“Well, forget the heavy equipment. There's plenty of time to get the smaller modules on the transports,” he ordered, leaving anything beyond was bad, they needed every scrap of equipment they had, but who knew how much longer they had? If there was time and space at the end, then those units could be taken.

“Take care, sir.”

“Thanks,” Luke stomped his feet into his boots and moved into the busy hallway. He jogged for the main hanger to find the Falcon, Chewie working on something. Luke grabbed a heavy weather jacket from the rack, glad for the extra warmth in the more exposed hanger. “Chewie take care of yourself, okay?” As Luke patted Chewie on the arm, Chewie put his arms around Luke and gave him a tight hug.

Han was discussing the lifter with a repair droid when he saw Luke down on the ground. “Hi, kid,” he turned back to the droid, exasperated. “There's got to be a reason for it. Check it at the other end. Wait a second.” He looked back down at Luke, seeing how tired he still looked, the scars fresh on his face making him look decades older. “You all right?”

“Yeah,” Luke managed a small smile.

“Be careful,” Han warned, wishing he was going to be out there with them.

“You, too.” Luke smiled, then waved at his friend and walked on. After a few steps,

he stopped and looked back. Han glanced up and the two exchanged a silent

communication, each wishing the other safety, happiness - many things,

all difficult to verbalize. They both knew Han wouldn’t be at the rendezvous, he had to go to Tatooine now. They may never see each other again, the Alliance was always on the move and spread out, it would be hard for Han to find them if they had to move again before he could meet up with them.

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The dark cubicle was illuminated by a single shaft of light which fell on the brooding Dark Lord as he sat on the chair within.   

General Veers entered the room and approached the silent, unmoving Vader. Although seemingly very sure of himself, Veers was still not bold enough to interrupt the meditating lord. The younger general stood quietly at attention until his superior chose to speak.

“What is it, General?”

“My lord, the fleet has moves out of light-speed. Com-Scan has detected an energy field protecting an area around the sixth planet of the Hoth system. The field is strong enough to deflect any bombardment,” he quickly explained the situation, hoping he was not about to die for delivering the news.

Vader felt a surge of anger, they had to take that base! “The Rebels are alerted to our presence. Admiral Ozzel came out of light-speed too close to the system.”

“He felt surprise was wiser...” Veers offered in the Admiral’s defence.

“He is as clumsy as he is stupid. General, prepare your troops for a surface attack,” he snapped the order and Veers gulped.

“Yes, my lord.” He quickly left to join his men.

Vader activated the large viewscreen showing the bridge of his mighty ship. Admiral Ozzel appeared on the viewscreen, standing slightly in front of Captain Piett.

“Lord Vader, the fleet has moved out of light-speed, and we're preparing to... ah…” his hands went to his throat as he felt something strangling him.

“You have failed me for the last time, Admiral. Captain Piett.”

Piett stepped forward, as the admiral staggered away. “Yes, my lord.”

Make ready to land out troops beyond the energy shield and deploy the fleet so that nothing gets off that system. You are in command now, Admiral Piett.” Vader growled and Piett stiffened.

“Thank you, Lord Vader.” What else could he say? He respected Vader, but this was not the way he had wanted to be promoted. He glanced warily at the struggling Admiral Ozzel who, with a final choke, stumbled and fell in a lifeless heap on the deck before him. He quickly signalled nearby stormtroopers to remove the corpse and then went to work.

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“The first transport is away.”The loudspeaker announced, making everyone cheer ad Luke jogged for his snow speeder, seeing his gunner already onboard.

Dack was a fresh-faced, eager kid, who made him feel old, but he was a great shot. “Feeling all right, sir?”

“Just like new, Dack. How about you?” Luke asked as he pulled his helmet on and strapped in.

“Right now, I feel like I could take on the whole Empire myself,” Dack grinned as he finished the pre-flight checks.

“I know what you mean,” Luke smiled sadly but then lifted off as the ground crew waved them on. Rogue Squadron formed up around him as they sped over the frozen landscape.

“Echo Station Three-T-Eight, we’ve spotted Imperial walkers.”The radio crackled, and Luke adjusted course.

“Echo station Five-Seven. We're on our way,” Luke answered absently, eyes scanning the horizon.  He spotted them and dropped lower, hugging the snow drifts in an effort to remain hidden. “All right, boys, keep tight now.”

“Luke, I have no approach vector. I'm not set,” Dack babbled, nervous now.

“Steady, Dack,” Luke called before going back to the Squad’s frequency. “Attack pattern delta. Go now!” he ordered, and the squadron split up. They sped ever closer to the massive walkers and Luke wished for his X-Wing with its shields and heavier weapons. They began taking fire and wove among them, returning fire. “That armour’s too strong for blasters. Rogues use your harpoons and tow cables. Go for the legs. It might be our only chance of stopping them. All right, stand by, Dack.”

“Luke, we've got a malfunction in fire control. I'll have to cut in the auxiliary,” Dack answered, panicking a bit. This was really his first battle.  

“Just hang on. Hang on, Dack. Get ready to fire that tow cable,” Luke called back to him as he dodged around the battlefield. Barely keeping his seat in the tumbling ship, Dack struggled to set up his harpoon gun. Luke swung his speeder around and headed toward an oncoming walker. Laser bolts and flak filled the air, creating a deadly obstacle course

for the tiny craft and it’s wing mate. Luke winced as his helmeted head slammed hard back into his seat as smoke briefly filled the cockpit before being sucked out by the fire supersession systems. He twisted in his seat, trying to see Dack, but he had felt the weird sensation from the Force that usually meant a nearby death. “Dack? Dack!”

Dack was dead, blood streaming down his forehead, which rested on his smouldering controls. Out the back window, an Imperial walker receded in the distance as Luke moved them away from the fight. Luke closed his eyes in grief but then refocused on his job. “Rogue Three,” he called over the comm.

“Copy, Rogue Leader,”Wedge answered immediately.

“Wedge, I've lost my gunner. You'll have to make this shot. I'll cover for you. Set your harpoon. Follow me on the next pass,” Luke ordered.

“Coming around, Rogue Leader.”Wedge was worried for Luke with no gunner, his speeder damaged but Luke was the best, if anyone could do it, he could.

Luke moved in to cover Wedge’s snow speeder as they flew towards the walker. “Steady, Rogue Three,” he called as they took fire, shifting to protect them. They approached the legs and Luke grinned as the harpoon launched and embedded into a leg.

Rogue Three raced around one of the giant walker's feet, trailing the cable behind it. Continuing around the back foot, Rogue Three then circled the walker around the tail end. They did another pass around and then the cable detached and Rogue Three pulled away.

The tangled legs of the enormous war machine attempted a step, but as they did the giant Imperial walker began to topple. It teetered for a moment, and then crashed onto the icy ground, sending snow and metal pieces flying.

The troops in the trenches cheered at the sight of the crashing walker. An officer gave a signal to his men and Rebel troops charged the fallen war machine. “Come on!” The troops ran toward the downed walker, followed by two Rebel speeders flying overhead. Just as they reached the walker, it exploded, the impact throwing some of the men onto the frozen ground. Everyman in the trenches had accepted they would die today but their deaths would save other. The Alliance just didn’t have the numbers or weapons for this kind of fight, they were meant for hit and run attacks.

“Whooha!  That got him!”

Luke smiled at Wedge’s joy, “I see it, Wedge. Good work.” He praised as Rogue Three peeled away, they only had one tow cable, so they would try and cover the landing field before evacuating themselves. Luke glanced around and flew to join Rogue Two. Flak burst all around and he saw the other speeder shudder. “Rogue Two, are you all right?”

“Yeah. I'm with you, Rogue Leader.”

“We'll set harpoon. I'll cover for you,” he ordered, moving his damaged speeder to cover the other.

“Coming around.”

“Watch that cross fire, boys,” Luke called as he dodged out of the concentrated fire from two walkers. “Stay tight and low.” Luke's speeder moves in formation with Rogue Two, when suddenly Zev’s speeder was hit by a laser bolt. His ship bucked violently under the

impact and the cockpit exploded in a ball of flame. Spewing smoke, the speeder hurtled toward a looming walker. Before they could collide, Rogue Two exploded in a million flaming pieces. “Zev!” Luke called, looking for any sign they had managed to punch out but there was no sign of either pilot or gunner. Desperately, Luke worked the controls of his flak-buffeted ship. Suddenly, the speeder was rocked by a huge explosion. Luke fought with the controls with a look of terror on his face. The speeder filled with smoke, and electrical sparks jumped about the cockpit. “Hobbie, I've been hit!” he yelled, hoping the other pilot heard him as his speeder began to drop before ploughing into the snow hard. Luke blacked out from the impact and the feeling of so much death in the Force as the Empire began slaughtering those still left in the base.

Luke shook his head, dazed and then looked up to watch as a walker foot rose and moved over him. He looked up at the underbelly of the huge walker, passing overhead and it took him a few precious seconds to realise the danger. He struggled out of his harness and shoved the cockpit open before reaching back inside to grab gear, seeing Dack slumped in his own. “I’m sorry,” he whispered before scrambling away just as the foot came down on the speeder, crushing it and Dack’s body. Running beneath the monstrous machine, Luke fired his harpoon gun at the walker's underside. A thin cable followed the projectile from the gun until the magnetic head and cable attached firmly to the metal hull. Still running under the walker, Luke attached the cable drum to his belt buckle and let it pull him up until he hung dangling underneath the walker. The walker's giant feet continued to pound onward across the frozen snow. Stray laser bolts whistled by Luke as shifted along the walker's hull, reaching a small hatch. Hanging precariously, Luke cut the solid metal hatch with his lightsabre, trying not to drop anything. He took a landmine from the pouch he’d stuffed it in and threw it inside the Imperial machine. With no time to spare he took a deep breath and detached from the cable, plummeting to the snow below, even as he reached to the Force to cushion the landing. He still landed hard, weakly lifting his head before slumping, unconscious.

The giant walker barely missed stepping on him as it passed by before stopping in mid-step. A muffled explosion came from within - and then the walker's mechanical insides were spewed out every conceivable opening. The machine sat dead in its tracks, smoking, until it crumpled.

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Vader stormed through the base with the 501^st, he could sense his son still on the planet, but his sense was dull…unconscious then. He hurried even more, determined to find the boy before he could be too damaged. He had seen part of the battle, it was likely he had been among those attacking the walkers which meant he was likely lying unguarded on the battle field and he needed to find him fast.

He came around a corner and saw the Falcon, sensing the Princess within. His men were setting up a heavy gun but then a gun dropped from the Falcons’ underneath and opened fire on his men. before anything more could be done the ship blasted off, even as he felt the surge as Luke came too.

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Luke looked up and sighed in relief as he saw the Falcon headed for space, able to feel Leia and Han onboard. They were safe. He stumbled in the snow, spotting the landing area where his X-Wing and Artoo were waiting and then someone was helping him along.

“Alright there?” Wedge asked, and Luke nodded.

“Thanks.” They separated and rushed to their ships.

Artoo, seated in his cubbyhole, chirps an excited greeting as Luke climbed aboard the spacecraft.

“Artoo! Get her ready for take-off.”

“Good luck, Luke. See you at the rendezvous,” Wedge yelled as he did his own prep.

Luke smiled and nodded at Wedge, then lowered himself into the cockpit of his X-wing while Artoo waited, beeping impatiently. “Don't worry, Artoo. We're going, we're going,” he promised as the canopy over the X-wing lowered and snaps shut. He strapped in and fired up the engines, taking off from the compacted snow. He quickly sped away from the planet, easily avoiding the waiting Star Destroyers. He felt something…dark anger and swallowed, Vader…. Vader was on the planet. How close had he come to being captured this time? He remembered the vision of Ben and hesitated, hand at the navicomp. He was expected at the rendezvous but… was he endangering everyone by staying? If Vader could feel him…track him… Could he hide himself if he had more training? He’d fought Vader once and would have died if not for Han’s intervention. Then there had been the mess at Vrogas Vas… He flipped several switches. The stars shifted as he took his fighter into a steep turn.  The X-wing banked sharply and flew away in a new direction.

The monitor screen on Luke's control panel lit up with a question from the concerned Artoo.

“There's nothing wrong, Artoo. I'm just setting a new course,” he answered. Artoo beeped once again. “We're not going to regroup with the others.”

Artoo began a protest, whistling an unbelieving, "What?!"

Luke read Artoo's exclamation on his control panel. “We're going to the Dagobah system.” Luke checked his readouts and made a few adjustments. He flew along with only the soft hum of the instruments to break the silence.  Finally, Artoo chirped again. “Yes, Artoo?” Artoo uttered a soft, carefully phrased steam of whistles. “That's all right.  I'd like to keep it on manual control for a while.” The little droid let out a defeated whimper and Luke smiled, continuing on his course.

Artoo was worried about his pilot. He had been hurt and then in battle. Was he still hurt? Why not meet the Princess and other pilots? He had failed to keep his first pilot safe, he would not fail his son! There wasn’t much he could do as the ship went to lightspeed.

Luke leant back in his seat, closing his eyes to try and get some sleep, he ached from the fight, especially the crash and fall. Whoever this Yoda was, he hoped he was doing the right thing. Had it really been Ben he had seen? Or had Vader set a trap? He knew he was disobeying orders, could be in serious trouble when he re-joined the fleet, but this felt right. Leia would understand but the rest of Command? Then again when he didn’t show up they might assume he had been captured or killed. He hated putting his Squadron through that, but he couldn’t contact them and risk it being intercepted. He would explain when he met up with them.

TBC…

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: Not mine

Canon pairings or suggestions?

Chapter 2

Luke pulls an equipment box from the shore of the swamp to the clearing where he was creating a makeshift camp.  He ignited a little fusion furnace and warmed his hands before it.  Taking a power cable, he plugged it into Artoo. “Ready for some power? Okay. Let's see now. Put that in there. There you go,” Luke grinned as the droid whistled his appreciation. Luke then opened a container of rations and sat before the thermal heater, lost in thought. Had he made a mistake in coming here? Maybe Ben had been nothing more than a hallucination, despite the fact he’d heard the old Jedi’s voice a handful of times since his death. His X-Wing was half submerged in a swamp, getting it out would not be easy, especially if swamp water got too deep in. everything was insulated but as Hoth had proved, that couldn’t protect from everything. If he couldn’t get it out he’d have to call for help and even that was risky, a transmission could be intercepted.

Then there was this Master Yoda, Ben had been old, too old for a human Master to surely still be alive or if he was then too old to train someone. And he couldn’t see a human living here comfortably for long. So, he was most likely looking for an older alien of unknown species on a planet so full of life his scanners had been overwhelmed. Yeah, that was going to be easy. “There's something familiar about this place. I feel like... I don't know...” he frowned, what was it?

“Feel like what?”

Luke jumped out of his skin as Artoo screeched in surprise and then recognition, not that he could tell anyone about that. Luke half pulled his blaster but then let it slip back in the holster as he stared at the small alien, heart racing. “Like we're being watched.”

“I mean you no harm. I am wondering, why are you here?”

“I'm looking for someone,” Luke answered, staring at the alien…. could it be? One thing the Alliance had taught him was to never assume based on appearance, then again, he’d mostly learnt that on the few trips into Mos Eisley as a child.

“Looking? Found someone, you have, I would say, hmmm?” The little creature laughed.

“Right.” He couldn’t help smiling slightly.

“Help you I can. Yes, mmmm,” he moved into the camp, looking around curiously, keeping an eye on the boy through the Force, pleased so far. His first startled reaction had been to go for a weapon, but he hadn’t actually removed it from the holster and he was amused, not annoyed. Good. He’d watched for a little while, that droid reminded him of times with another Skywalker and he chuckled as he poked around, inherited the Father’s height this child had not. He was fit which would be good for training, he had the laser focus most fighter pilots developed too and the sense of him in the Force… it was like Anakin at his height during the war. With Vader limited by the suit this boy would eclipse him, if he was trained…and there was no other choice, better to teach him then let him go and be an easy target for Vader and Sidious.

Luke watched him poke around happily, was this him? His eyes said no but… “Master Yoda?”

Yoda stopped and turned to face him, he had not expected the boy to make such a leap. “Hmm. Sent you Obi-Wan did.”

“Yes Sir,” Luke was not sure if he was relieved he’d been right or not.

He sensed that and chuckled “Come. Good food. Come.” He waved the boy to follow and moved towards his hut.

Luke grabbed his jacket from where it had been drying and slipped it on, following him deeper into the swamp. Artoo, very upset, whistled a blue streak of protest and Luke turned to him. “Stay here and watch after the camp, Artoo.” Artoo beeped even more frantically. But as Luke disappeared from view, the worried little droid grew quieter, and uttered a soft electronic sigh. Maybe Yoda could unlock his memories and then he could tell pilot all about old pilot, Senator, Snips, Captain, the Vod…so much.

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Leia finished welding the valves she has been working on and tried to reengage the system by pulling a lever attached to the valve. It didn’t budge. Han noticed her struggling and moved to help her. She rebuffed him, shifting away.

“Hey, Your Worship, I'm only trying to help.”

“Would you please stop calling me that?” she snapped as she fought the lever.

Han hesitated as he heard a new tone in her voice. He watched her pull on the lever. “Sure, Leia.”

“Oh, you make it so difficult sometimes.” She stopped to catch her breath, not looking at him. She didn’t understand her feelings and that made her snappish, she knew it. Han and Luke were her boys and she loved them both, she could admit that to herself. She was the last Princess of Alderaan, she’d heard the whispers among other survivors, wondering when she would take her Mother’s title, who she would marry to help secure some sort of future… something neither of them could give.

“I do, I really do,” Han admitted and then smirked, leaning against the wall. “You could be a little nicer, though.” He watched her reaction. “Come on, admit it. Sometimes you think I'm all right.”

She let go of the lever and rubbed her sore hand. “Occasionally...” she smiled slightly, “... when you aren't acting like a scoundrel.”

Han laughed. “Scoundrel? Scoundrel? I like the sound of that.” He took her hand and started to massage it.

“Stop that,” she whispered shakily as her hand warmed under his, feeling the warmth of a blush on her cheeks.

“Stop what?”

“Stop that! My hands are dirty,” she tried to pull away, feeling confused.

“My hands are dirty, too. What are you afraid of?” he leant in closer and she tipped her head back to see his face.

“Afraid?”

Han gave her a piercing look. He’d never looked more handsome, more dashing, more confident. He reached out slowly and took Leia's hand again from where it was resting on a console. He drew it toward him. “You're trembling.”

“I'm not trembling,” she denied softly, unable to break eye contact.

Han drew her closer, slowly. “You like me because I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life,” he teased.

“I happen to like nice men,” she tried to argue, feeling the warmth of his body they were now so close.

“I'm a nice man.”

“No, you're not. You're...”

He kissed her now, stopping her from speaking. He took his time, as though he had forever, bending her body backward. She had never been kissed like this before, and it almost made her faint. When he stopped, she regained her breath and tried to work up some indignation but found it hard to talk.

Suddenly, Threepio appeared in the doorway, speaking excitedly. “Sir, sir!  I've isolated the reverse power flux coupling.”

Han turned slowly, icily, from their embrace. “Thank you. Thank you very much.”

“Oh, you're perfectly welcome, sir,” Threepio exclaimed as Han pushed him from the hall, not noticing as Leia slipped away.

She made her way to the cockpit where she sat in the co-pilots chair, stunned by not only his actions but her reaction. She had never felt anything like that before, the kiss with Luke had been too quick and Luke had been too surprised to respond. Did she love them the same, differently? There had been something…instantaneous in the cell, when she had seen the too short stormtrooper and then he had yanked the helmet off. Han had been different, infuriating, disrespectful…and he’d come back to save them. Why couldn’t emotions be easy?

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Luke accepted the bowl of…stew? He took a small amount and was pleasantly surprised by the taste, eating hungrily, he hadn’t had anything substantial since before the evacuation.

“Why wish you become Jedi? Hm?” Yoda asked, he knew why the boy had to be trained, but why did he want it?

“Mostly because of my father, I guess.”

“Ah, your father. Powerful Jedi was he, powerful Jedi, mmm.”

“You knew him.”

“All the Jedi knew I did,” Yoda admitted sadly. They were all gone now…Ahsoka gone facing Vader, the boy vanished, the other dead. Now the twins were their only hope. There were other Force sensitive children throughout the Galaxy, but none with this level of power and that was what was needed to stop Vader and his Master.

“I’m sorry,” what else could he say?

“With the Force now they are, grieve not for those who have passed.” Yoda studied the boy, he was not how a Jedi his age should be. “Hmmm. Much anger in him, like his father.” That made him very wary.

“Was I any different when you taught me?” Ben’s voice asked, and Luke straightened up, looking around. Obi-Wan had been angry as an initiate, they both knew it, and yet he had become a good Jedi and a Council Member.

“Hah. He is not ready.”

Luke tensed at that. “Then why did Ben tell me to come here?”

“For eight hundred years have I trained Jedi. My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained! A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind.” He looked at Obi-Wan. “This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away...to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing. Hmph. Adventure. Heh! Excitement. Heh! A Jedi craves not these things.” He turned back to Luke, tapping his chest with his walking stick. “You are reckless!”

Luke looked down, he knows it is true. But he had been doing better, he had learnt patience, his men depended on him.

“So was I, if you'll remember.”

“He is too old. Yes, too old to begin the training.”

“But I've learned so much,” Luke whispered, and Yoda turned his piercing gaze on Luke, as though the Jedi Master's huge eyes could somehow determine how much the boy had learned.

After a long moment, the Jedi turned toward where he alone saw Obi-Wan and he sighed, knowing this was going to happen. “Will he finish what he begins?”

“I won't fail you - I'm not afraid,” Luke promised, and Yoda turned slowly back to him.

“Oh, you will be. You will be,” he warned and then nodded firmly. “Begin tomorrow we will, sleep now.”

At the dismissal Luke left the hut and returned to Artoo and the camp to sleep. He stared up at the barely visible stars, wrapped in his survival sleeping bag, mind turning over everything that had happened in the hut. Something about Yoda’s words on his Father wouldn’t leave him alone. Much anger… but Ben had said his Father was a great Jedi. No, there was something they were hiding about Anakin Skywalker, he just didn’t know what yet. He felt lonely, where were Han and Leia? Where they safely with the Fleet yet? And his men, had they all made it off Hoth safely. He felt guilty, he was late, how long until he was presumed dead or captured? How would they react when he returned? Maybe he hadn’t thought this through enough, reckless again. At least he no longer craved adventure like Master Yoda claimed, he’d lost that in the Death Star trench when Biggs had died to buy him time.

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Vader stared out at the asteroids, somewhere out there was the Millennium Falcon. He knew his son was not aboard, he was beyond the range of easy sensing which was frustrating, all he could tell was the boy was alive. But those they chased were the key to calling Luke to him, he would come for his ‘friends’, he had yet to learn the folly of such attachments. He would learn, and Vader looked forward to teaching him true power.

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With Yoda strapped to his back, Luke climbed up one of the many thick vines that grew in the swamp. Panting heavily, he continued his course - climbing, flipping through the air, jumping over roots, and racing in and out of the heavy ground fog. It felt like he’d been doing this for years…not the mere week it had actually been. He’d thought he was fairly fit before but after the first day he had been utterly exhausted. He was learning to use the Force to enhance his physical abilities and it was becoming easier.

“Run! Yes. A Jedi's strength flows from the Force. But beware of the dark side.  Anger... fear... aggression. The dark side of the Force are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight. If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will, as it did Obi-Wan's apprentice,” Yoda explained calmly as if he wasn’t perched on a running persons shoulders.

“Vader,” Luke whispered before pausing to catch his breath. “Is the dark side stronger?”

“No... no... no. Quicker, easier, more seductive.”

“But how am I to know the good side from the bad?” Luke twisted his head to try and see the small Master.

 “You will know. When you are calm, at peace. Passive. A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defence, never for attack,” Yoda spoke slowly, guiding Luke through his breathing and Luke felt calmer.

“But tell me why I can't...”

“No, no, there is no why. Nothing more will I teach you today. Clear your mind of questions. Mmm. Mmmmmmmm.”

Artoo beeped in the distance as Luke let Yoda down to the ground. Breathing heavily, he took his shirt from a nearby tree branch and pulled it on. He turned to see a huge, dead, black tree, its base surrounded by a few feet of water. Giant, twisted roots formed a dark and sinister cave on one side. Luke stares at the tree, trembling. “There's something not right here,” he murmured, shivering. Yoda sat on a large root, poking his Gimer Stick into the dirt. “I feel cold, death,” he wanted to get away from here, now. He had never felt anything like it, the closest was…when he’d faced Vader.

“That place... is strong with the dark side of the Force. A domain of evil it is. In you must go.”

“What's in there?” he eyed it warily and then looked at his Master.

“Only what you take with you.”

Luke looked warily between the tree and Yoda. He starts to strap on his weapon belt.

“Your weapons... you will not need them,” Yoda told him, and Luke hesitated before slowly setting his belt aside. He had not steered him wrong yet, even if he did not always understand why he did things. Luke reached up to brush aside some hanging vines and entered the tree and Yoda smiled to himself, happy the boy had listened. He was proving to be an eager and curious student, more apt to question him than any Padawan but perhaps they should have questioned more. After two decades of exile and contemplation he had come to accept, grudgingly, that the Order had played a role in their own defeat. The rigid Code, one Padawan at a time, it had all been too much once faced with war. They had been too closely tied to the Senate to see what was right in front of them.

Luke moved into the almost total darkness of the wet and slimy cave. The young pilot could barely make out the edge of the passage. He saw a lizard crawling up the side of the cave and a snake wrapped around the branches of a tree and shied away, unsure if any of the local fauna was deadly. Luke drew a deep breath, then pushed deeper into the cave. The space widened around him, but he felt that rather than saw it. It was very quiet here, unnerving. And then the cave wavered around him and he was in a room somewhere seeing an older man, a Jedi!, fighting an alien wielding a double sided red lightsabre. Luke pressed back, not wanting to be hit and then saw a younger man blocked by a wall of lasers. The red lightsaber sunk into the Jedi and he heard the young man’s scream of denial before the wall vanished and he was on the other warrior in a flurry of incredibly fast attacks. The scene faded, and he saw the young man again, older and bearded, and a taller man beside him. Seeing the bear…. Ben! it was Ben Kenobi which meant the young man with him…his Father? He studied him and yes, the same blue eyes, blonde hair…same cleft in the chin. This was Anakin Skywalker, his Father. He’d never seen a holo of him and now here he was right in front of him…fighting an older man with a red lightsabre. He gasped in horror as Obi-Wan was tossed aside and then nearly screamed as his Father’s arm was severed. As the scene faded he saw the approaching form of a younger Yoda and then a beautiful young woman who reminded him of Leia.

And then he was seeing her again, this time very pregnant, yelling at his Father, the world around them made of lava and he saw…madness in his Father’s eyes even as Obi-Wan appeared. Ans then Luke’s heart broke and he sank to his knees, tears falling as he saw the woman…his Mother!... clutching her throat, choking. She was released, and the two men began to fight, the scene shifting, and he watched in horror as Obi-Wan’s blade too his Father’s remaining limbs… and his Father burned. Luke retched, losing the little he’d eaten today as the truth sank in. Vader…. Vader hadn’t killed his Father…. Vader was his Father!

Had his Father killed his Mother? No…if he had then surely Luke would have died or suffered some kind of issue from having to be taken out of her body. So what had happened to her? what could have made his own Father try to kill her? He curled in a miserable ball on the floor, wanting Leia and Han, or even Wedge and Wes. He was the son of Darth Vader, the most hated man in the Galaxy and his enemy. It explained Vader’s obsession with him once his name had become known. He was Sithspawn. How could he deal with that? But…he had to, too many people depended on him for him to just lay here and wish to die, to join his Mother. Had she even wanted him? No…Vader had come about late in the pregnancy, she had been too shocked for him to have existed before. He had to believe they had loved each other before then, that they had wanted him. Luke took a deep breath and uncurled, forcing himself up. He would honour Anakin Skywalker, not the monster he had become.

Meanwhile, Yoda sat on the root, calmly leaning on his Gimer Stick.

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Luke's was upside-down, face showing enormous strain. He stood on his hands, with Yoda perched on his feet. Opposite Luke and Yoda were two rocks the size of bowling balls. Luke stared at the rocks and concentrated. One of the rocks lifted from the ground and floated up to rest on the other.

“Use the Force. Yes...” Yoda tapped Luke's leg. Quickly, Luke lifted one hand from the ground. His body wavered, but he maintained his balance. Artoo, standing nearby,

was whistling and beeping frantically. Yoda was impressed, whatever test he had faced within the cave the boy had passed and come away from it more focused, older. “Now... the stone. Feel it.”

Luke concentrated on trying to lift the top rock. It rose a few feet, shaking under the strain. But, distracted by Artoo's frantic beeping, Luke lost his balance and finally collapsed. 

Yoda jumped clear. “Concentrate!” he chided, although he was impressed by how far the boy had come.

Annoyed at the disturbance, Luke looked over at Artoo, who was rocking urgently back and forth in front of him. Artoo waddled closer to Luke, chirping wildly, then scooted over to the

edge of the swamp. Catching on, Luke rushed to the water's edge. The X-wing fighter had sunk, and only the tip of its nose showed above the lake's surface. “Will she even fly if we get her out now?”

“Then remove your ship you should.”

“Master, moving stones around is one thing. This is…” Luke took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. “The same principle as the stone?”

“Only different in your mind. You must unlearn what you have learned,” Yoda agreed, and Luke nodded.

“All right, I'll give it a try.”

“No! Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.”

Luke blinked but nodded and closed his eyes, concentrating on thinking the ship out. Slowly, the X-wing's nose began to rise above the water. It hovered for a moment and then slide back, before rising shakily again as Luke panted. Yoda watched on hopefully, seeing the strain and then the ship dropped back in, but was not totally submerged as Luke dropped to his knees. “I can't…I know I can lift it, just like the rocks but it feels different.”

“Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hm? Mmmm,” Yoda asked, and Luke quickly shook his head. “And well you should not. For my ally is the Force. And a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we...” he pinched Luke’s shoulder. “... not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you. Here, between you... me... the tree... the rock... everywhere! Yes, even between this land and that ship!”

“Yes Master,” Luke closed his eyes, focused on feeling that energy, reaching for the ship again and Yoda feel silent, quietly encouraging him. Soon, the fighter rose from the water and then above it and moved forward as Artoo beeped in terror and scooted away. The entire X-wing moves shakily toward the shore. Yoda watched in silent pride of how far the boy had come in mere weeks. The ship landed heavily, water gushing from it and Luke slumped to the ground, gasping.

“Good.” Yoda nodded and then a blanket floated over to settle over Luke as he fell asleep. He had earned the rest.

TBC…

So, some major changes here, Luke knows the truth about Anakin, but no one knows that he knows.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: Not mine

Does no one like this? Very few reviews.

Chapter 3

Luke stared up at the sky, unable to sleep. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been on Dagobah; the days were a blur. The physical training was becoming easier and so every day Master Yoda pushed him further. Then there were the lessons on the History of the Order and what it meant to be a Jedi, with Ben often butting in. Some of what he learned confused him, like the no attachments rule, how was that even possible? But then Yoda had admitted that perhaps that rule should have been altered which had seemed to shock Ben. The wizened Master had admitted they had made mistakes, that the Order had needed to change to survive. Luke was determined to be a new kind of Jedi, to continue their legacy but in a way that fit with the changed Galaxy.

He’d been avoiding thinking about the cave visions, but he knew he needed to or else he was in trouble the next time he faced Vader. The Force itself would not allow him to hope he was wrong, Anakin Skywalker had fallen and become Darth Vader. How did he go from hero to monster? Was Luke destoned to follow his footstep? No…he did not believe in destiny; his path was his own to make. The woman…his Mother, who was she? All Aunt Beru had ever said was that she was beautiful and an offworlder, he agreed that the woman had been beautiful, a lot like Leia. Maybe Skywalker’s had a type they liked?

Why had everyone lied to him? Had his Aunt and Uncle known the truth? Why had Ben told him Vader betrayed and murdered his Father? Maybe…okay he could sort of understand why he had lied on Tatooine, when Luke had been so angry at the Empire and untrained in keeping secrets. If he had said anything at the wrong time the consequences to himself could have been disastrous. General Cracken had always been a little wary of him which made Luke wonder if the man knew the truth of his parentage. But Luke had learned to keep secrets since joining the Alliance, especially once the alive only bounty had been issued by Vader. He’d gone through many rigorous training sessions on resisting torture and evading capture. Why hadn’t Ben told him once he knew how to keep quiet? The sickening reason was they never planned to tell him, just train him up and aim him at Vader and the Emperor. Was he nothing but a weapon to the Jedi?

He missed his friends, missed his Squadron, Master Yoda wasn’t one for small talk and he was lonely. He just hoped they were all okay.

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In the clearing behind Yoda's house, Luke again stood upside-down, but his face showed a lot less strain and more concentration than before. Yoda sat on the ground below him, watching closely and pleased with his progress. On the other side of the clearing, two equipment cases slowly rose into the air as nearby Artoo watched, humming to himself, when suddenly he too rose into the air. His stabilisers moved desperately, and his head turned frantically,

looking for help.

“Concentrate... feel the Force flow. Yes. Good. Calm, yes. Through the Force, things you will see. Other places. The future... the past. Old friends long gone.” Yoda guided him calmly but was a little concerned in this, Anakin had suffered terrible visions of first his Mother and then he suspected the Senator. Was encouraging young Luke to look actually a good idea?

Luke suddenly became distressed., eyes snapping open. “Han! Leia!” he called as the vision slipped away. The two packing boxes and Artoo fell to the ground with a crash, then Luke himself tumbled over.

Yoda shook his head. “Hmm. Control, control. You must learn control.” He pointed at the boy as he pushed himself up into a sitting position, looking confused.

“I saw... I saw a city in the clouds,” he whispered in awe of the place.

“Mmm. Friends you have there.”

“They were in pain,” he choked out, looking to Yoda for help.

“It is the future you see.”

“Future? Will they die?”

Yoda closed his eyes and lowered his head, searching the future. The girl could not die, she may be needed one day. But the Force showed him nothing. “Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future,” he finally admitted, and Luke scrambled up.

“I've got to go to them.”

“Decide you must how to serve them best. If you leave now, help them you could. But you would destroy all for which they have fought and suffered.”

Luke was stopped cold by Yoda's words. Gloom shrouded him as he nodded his head sadly.

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The Falcon headed towards the soft pink planet of Bespin. Huge billowing clouds formed a canyon as the ship banked around them, heading toward the system's Cloud City. Suddenly, two twin-pod cloud cars appeared and moved toward the Falcon.  The cloud cars drew up alongside the starship. One of the cloud cars opened fire on the Falcon, its flak rocking the ship. Chewie barked his concern.

“No, I don't have a landing permit. I'm trying to reach Lando Calrissian,” Han called even as more flak burst outside the cockpit window and rattled the ship's interior, making Leia worried. “Whoa! Wait a minute! Let me explain.”

“You will not deviate from your present course.”

“Rather touchy, aren't they?” Threepio asked.

“I thought you knew this person,” Leia looked at Han who shrugged slightly. They’d been stuck on board together for six weeks now since they hyperdrive was down. She was worried about Luke, about the Alliance but…the time alone hadn’t been so bad. Though she would kill for a meal that wasn’t military rations.

Chewie barked and growled at Han, voicing his concerns.

“Well, that was a long time ago. I'm sure he's forgotten about that.”

“Permission granted to land on Platform Three-two-seven.”

“Thank you.” Angry, Han snapped off the comm. Chewie looked at him and grunted. Han turned to the worried princess and her droid. “There's nothing to worry about. We go way back, Lando and me.”

Leia wasn’t entirely convinced, there was something… “Who's worried?” she offered rather than voice her disquiet.

The clouds parted to reveal a full view of the city as it bobbed in and out of the cloud surface. The cloud cars and the Falcon headed for the gleaming white metropolis.

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Every time he closed his eyes he saw Han and Leia in pain, tortured, and it was driving him mad. After three days he couldn’t take it anymore and began packing up the campsite. Artoo whistled in question and Luke rested a hand on his dome. “We’re going after them,” he promised as he began moving his gear to his X-Wing. He scrambled up into the cockpit and began powering up the ship before dropping down. He reached out with the Force and carefully lifted Artoo into his socket behind the cockpit.  In the bright lights of the fighter, Luke loaded a heavy case into the belly of the ship.

Yoda hobbled into the clearing and stood nearby on a log. “Luke! You must complete the training.”

“I can't keep the vision out of my head. They're my friends. I've got to help them,” Luke answered without looking at his Master as he kept working.

“You must not go!”

“But Han and Leia will die if I don't.”

“You don't know that,” Ben’s voice called. Luke looked toward the voice in amazement as Ben materialised as a

real, slightly shimmering image near Yoda. The power of his presence stopped Luke. “Even Yoda cannot see their fate.”

“But I can help them!”

“But you cannot control it the Force fully yet. This is a dangerous time for you, when you will be tempted by the dark side of the Force,” Ben argued, he could not lose them both to the Dark Side.

“Yes, yes. To Obi-Wan you listen.”

“Master Yoda, I promise to return and finish what I've begun. You have my word,” Luke swore even as he pulled on his flight suit.

“It is you and your abilities the Emperor wants, that is why your friends are made to suffer,” Ben warned, not willing to give up.

Luke turned to face him briefly. “And that is why I have to go.”

“Luke, I don't want to lose you to the Emperor the way I lost Vader,” Ben pleaded, and Luke hesitated before looking at him again.

“You won't,” he swore firmly, he would not follow his Father’s path.

“Stopped they must be. On this all depends. Only a fully trained Jedi Knight with the Force as his ally will conquer Vader and his Emperor. If you end your training now, if you choose the quick and easy path, as Vader did, you will become an agent of evil,” Yoda argued firmly.

“Patience.”

“And sacrifice Han and Leia?”

“If you honour what they fight for... yes!” better the girl die then be discovered and turned.

Luke was in great anguish. He struggled with the dilemma, a battle raging in his mind.

“If you choose to face Vader, you will do it alone. I cannot interfere,” Ben tried one last time even as Luke took a deep breath, calming, he knew what he had to do.

“I understand,” he whispered and then leapt up to rest on the edge beside the cockpit. “Artoo, fire up the converters.” Artoo whistled a happy reply. As Luke dropped into his seat and pulled on his helmet.

“Luke don't give in to hate - that leads to the dark side,” Ben called, and Luke looked down at the two Jedi, smiling slightly for them, nodding.

“Strong is Vader. Mind what you have learned. Save you it can,” Yoda called up to him as the cockpit began to lower

“I will. And I'll return. I promise.”

Ben and Yoda stood watching as the roar of the engines and the wind engulfed them. Yoda sighed, “Told you, I did. Reckless is he. Now matters are worse.”

“That boy is our last hope,” Ben whispered sadly.

“No. There is another,” Yoda reminded him as Luke’s X-wing rocketed away from the green planet of Dagobah and off into space.

Luke quickly set the course and was soon in hyperspace where he settled in to meditate for the journey, preparing himself as best he could for what was likely coming, a confrontation with Vader…his Father.

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Within the quarters assigned her on Cloud City, Leia paced in agitation. She had changed from her cold-weather pants and jacket to a lovely dress, just happy to have clean clothes after weeks on the ship. Her hair was down, tied back with ribbons, letting it dry after an actual water shower. She moved from a large, open window and turned to see Han entering through the doorway.

The ship is almost finished. Two or three more things and we're in great shape,” han called as he moved to the sunken seating area.

“The sooner the better. Something's wrong here. No one has seen or knows anything about Threepio. He's been gone too long to have gotten lost,” the droid was annoying yes, but he was privy to a lot of Alliance information and codes and he had been her Father’s once due to his skills at interpreting.

Han walked to Leia and took her by the shoulders, gently kissing her forehead. “Relax. I'll talk to Lando and see what I can find out,” he promised before slowly leaning down and kissing her for real, loving the way she relaxed against him. While they’d been on the Falcon things had been simple and he wished it could stay like that, but soon they’d be back with the Alliance, with Luke. They’d be back to being a Smuggler and a Princess. Han knew Leia loved Luke, who didn’t love the kid?

“I don't trust Lando,” she whispered.

“Well, I don't trust him, either. But he is my friend. Besides, we'll soon be gone.”

And then you're as good as gone, aren't you?” she asked, staring up at him. Not speaking, Han considered her words and gazed at her troubled face. They moved apart as door zapped open. Chewbacca walked in, carrying a packing case of Threepio, arms and legs hanging over the edge. “What happened?”

Chewie set the case on a table, grunting and groaning an explanation.

“Where? Found him in a junk pile?” Han demanded as they looked over the jumble of parts.

“Oh, what a mess. Chewie, do you think you can repair him?” Leia asked as she brushed her hand over a leg. It was a good thing Artoo was with Luke, he would not be happy to see Threepio like this.

The giant Wookiee studied the array of robot parts before he looked at the princess and shrugged sadly.

“Lando's got people who can fix him,” Han offered, not really sure about it though.

“No, thanks.”

There was a buzz and the door slid open, revealing Lando. “I'm sorry. Am I interrupting anything?”

“Not really.” Leia drew the thin, sleeveless over layer close, not liking how he looked at her.

“You look absolutely beautiful,” Lando murmured as he took in her new clothes, feeling a pang of guilt for what he was going to do, but his duty was to his people. “You truly belong here with us among the clouds.”

“Thank you,” she answered coolly.

“Will you join me for a little refreshment?” Lando smiled at her and Han looked at Lando suspiciously, but Chewie barked at the mention of food and licked his lips. “Everyone's invited, of course.” Leia took Lando's proffered arm stiffly, head high, and the group turned to go. Lando spotted Threepio's remains. “Having trouble with you droid?”

Han and Leia exchanged a quick glance. “No. No problem. Why?”

Leia walked between Han and Lando as Chewie followed a short distance behind. Long shafts of light poured across the corridor between tall, pure-white columns.

“So, you see, since we're a small operation, we don't fall into the... uh... jurisdiction of the Empire,” Lando explained more about their operation.

“So, you're part of the mining guild then?” Leia asked, genuinely curios, would he sell to the Alliance?

“No, not actually. Our operation is small enough not to be noticed... which is advantageous for everybody since our customers are anxious to avoid attracting attention to themselves.” The group walked into another corridor and headed for a huge doorway at the far end. Leia felt a pit of dread in her stomach as they approached, something was very wrong.

“Aren't you afraid the Empire's going to find out about this little operation and shut you down?” Han asked, unaware of her fear.

“That's always been a danger looming like a shadow over everything we've built here. But things have developed that will insure security. I've just made a deal that will keep the Empire out of here forever.”

The mighty doors to the dining room slid open and the group entered the dining room. At the far end of a huge banquet table sat Darth Vader. Standing at his side and slightly behind him was Boba Fett, the bounty hunter. On instinct, Han drew his blaster and shot directly at Vader. The Dark Lord quickly raised his hand, deflecting the bolts into one of the side walls, where they exploded harmlessly. Just as quickly, Han's weapon zipped into Vader's hand. He calmly placed the gun on the table in front of him. “We would be honoured if you would join us.” Finally, his plan to regain his son was coming together.

Han glared at Lando who looked away. “I had no choice. They arrived right before you did. I'm sorry.”

“I'm sorry, too,” Han turned away from his one-time friend, hand on Leia’s shoulder.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Luke jolted in his seat, eyes wide, as he felt their pain, the terror. “I’m coming Leia, Han,” he whispered even though he knew they couldn’t hear him. He was running out of time.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

With Boba Fett in the lead, a squad of six stormtroopers brought in Han, Leia and Chewie. Strapped to Chewie's back, with only his head, torso, and one arm assembled, was Threepio.

Threepio's head faced the opposite direction from Chewie's and the droid was constantly twisting around in a vain effort to see what was happening. His one attached arm was animate and expressive, intermittently pointing, gesturing, and covering his eyes. The remaining pieces of his body were randomly bundled to the Wookiee’s back so that his legs and other arm stuck out at odd angles from the pack. “If only you had attached my legs, I wouldn't be in this ridiculous position. Now, remember, Chewbacca, you have a responsibility to me, so don't do anything foolish.”

“I’m coming Leia, Han.”Leia blinked and looked around, that was Luke’s voice! But he was nowhere to be seen, confusing her.

“What's going on... buddy?” Han muttered.

“You're being put into carbon freeze,” Lando answered tightly, wishing he could stop it but he was powerless.

Boba Fett moved away from the group to Darth Vader. “What if he doesn't survive?  He's worth a lot to me.”

“The Empire will compensate you if he dies. Put him in!”

Realising what was about to happen, Chewie let out a wild howl and attacked the stormtroopers surrounding Han. Within seconds, other Imperial reinforcements joined the scuffle, clubbing the giant Wookiee with their blasters.

From the instant of Chewie's first move, Threepio began to scream in panic while he tried to protect himself with his one arm. “Oh, no! No, no, no! Stop, Chewbacca, stop...!”

The stormtroopers were about to bash Chewie in the face when Han stepped in, grabbing Chewie’s bound hands. “Stop, Chewie, stop! Do you hear me? Stop!”

“Yes, stop, please! I'm not ready to die.”

“Chewie! Chewie, this won't help me. Hey!” Han gave the Wookiee a stern look. “Save your strength. There'll be another time. The princess - you have to take care of her. You hear me?” Han winked at the Wookiee, who wails a doleful farewell. In a flash the guards had slipped binders on Chewbacca, who was too distraught to protest. Han turned to Leia. They looked sorrowfully at one another, then Han moved toward her and gave her a final, passionate kiss.

Tears rolled down Leia's face as she watched him walk to the hydraulic platform. “I love you!”

“I know.” Han stared at her, unwilling to look away - and then, suddenly, the platform dropped. Chewie howled, and Leia turned away in agony. Lando winced in sorrow, horrified by what was happening. Instantly, fiery liquid began to pour down in a shower of sparks and fluid as great as any steel furnace. Holding Leia, Chewie half-turned away from the sight, giving Threepio a view of the procedure.

“What... what's going on? Turn around, Chewbacca, I can't see. Oh... they've encased him in carbonite.  He should be quite well-protected - if he survives the freezing process, that is.”

Chewie was in no mood for technical discussion; he gave the droid an angry glance and bark.

A huge mechanical tong lifted the steaming metal-encased Han out of the vat and stood him on the platform. Some Ugnaughts rushed over and pushed the block over onto the platform. They slid the coffinlike structure to the block and lifted the metal block, placing it inside. They then attached an electronic box onto the structure and stepped away. Lando knelt, heart in his throat, and adjusted some knobs, measuring the heat before shaking his head in relief.

“Well, Calrissian, did he survive?” Vader demanded and Lando looked up.

“Yes, he's alive. And in perfect hibernation.”

Vader turned to Boba Fett. “He's all yours bounty hunter. Reset the chamber for Skywalker.”

An Imperial officer entered the room and moved to Vader’s side. “Skywalker has just landed, my lord.”

“Good. See to it that he finds his way here. Calrissian, take the princess and the Wookiee to my ship.”

“You said they'd be left in the city under my supervision,” Lando argued, he couldn’t save Han, but he would protect his love.

“I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further,” Vader warned and Lando gulped, hand instinctively going to his throat as he turned to Leia, Chewie, and Threepio. He nodded to his men who began to move the group out along with the stormtrooper guards.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Luke landed without a single challenge and powered down the ship before removing his helmet, looking around but there was no sign of anyone. Reaching out with the Force he sensed Leia…Chewie…there was Han, muted in an odd way and not with the others. This was a trap but why separate the bait? “Stay with the ship Artoo,” Luke ordered before pushing the cockpit open. He shimmied out of his flight suit and made sure his weapons were secure before dropping to the ground and heading for the doors. He wondered what those watching made of the state of his uniform, weeks on Dagobah had done it no favours and he really needed a haircut too.

Luke moved carefully down a deserted corridor, before hearing group of people coming down a side hallway. He flattened himself against the wall, blaster in hand, before peering around to see Boba Fett as he entered from a side hallway followed by two guards pushing a floating block of some sort… he could feel Han! Fett…they’d fought once on Tatooine and Luke had barely gotten away, he’d known of the man and his reputation since he was a child since the Bounty Hunter did a lot of work for the Hutt’s. Two stormtroopers, who followed, immediately spotted Luke and opened fire on him.  Luke blasted the two troopers before they could get off a second shot, letting the Force guide his aim. The two guards whisked Han into another hallway as Fett lowered his arm and fired a deadly laser at Luke, which exploded to one side and tore up a huge chunk of wall.

Luke rushed to a side hallway, but by the time he reached it, Fett, Han, and the guards were gone. A thick metal door blocked the passage. Luke turned to see Leia, Chewie, Threepio, and Lando being herded down a second hallway by several other stormtroopers.

Leia turned, as if she sensed something, just in time to see Luke. She grabbed onto the door edge with bound hands, fighting to stay and warn him. “Luke! Luke don't - it's a trap! It's a trap!” Before she could finish, she was pulled through the doorway and disappeared from sight.

Luke raced after the group, running into an anteroom and stopped to get his bearings. Leia and the others were nowhere to be seen. Suddenly a giant metal door slammed down, cutting off Luke's exit. Several more doors clanged shut, echoing through the chamber. Luke cautiously walked forward among hissing pipes and steam. Seeing an

opening above him, he stopped to look up. As he did, the platform he stood on began to move. He could feel him now, Vader, he was close. Luke rose into the chamber, borne by the platform. The room was deathly quiet, despite the fact he knew Vader was within, was the man holding his breath? Warily, Luke walked toward the stairway.

Steam began to build up in the chamber and looking up through the steam, Luke saw a dark figure standing on a walkway above him. Luke holstered his blaster and moved up the stairs to face Vader. His feelings were a jumble and he fought to bring them under control, waiting to see what Vader would do in this first confrontation he knew he was Luke’s Father.

“The Force is with you, young Skywalker. But you are not a Jedi yet.”

TBC…

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: Not mine

Chapter 4

Steam began to build up in the chamber and looking up through the steam, Luke saw a dark figure standing on a walkway above him. Luke holstered his blaster and moved up the stairs to face Vader. His feelings were a jumble and he fought to bring them under control, waiting to see what Vader would do in this first confrontation where he knew he was Luke’s Father.

“The Force is with you, young Skywalker. But you are not a Jedi yet.”

That was not the opening he had expected, why not try and claim the familial link immediately? No matter, he had one question he would learn the answer to. “What was her name?”

Vader had watched his son approach, seeing the wary tension in the boy, and had expected him to draw his lightsaber when he holstered the blaster and yet he was standing there with empty hands. And then he asked a question that threw him. Did the child now know? But, how could he? Who could have told him? His helmet tipped slightly, questioning.

“My Mother, what was her name?” Luke said at the questioning tilt, at least that was what it looked like to him.

That was not a question he wanted to answer, anger rising and yet...how could their son not know of her? “What were you told?” he fought to keep his emotions contained, perhaps the boy could be convinced to come willingly with talk of her.

“Aunt Beru told me she was a beautiful offworlder,” Luke moved slowly along the platform, the Force strangely quiet at the moment, despite the anger he could feel coming from Vader.

“She spoke the truth,” he admitted. Beru…he had already known his son had been raised by his stepbrother and wife. “Padme,” he finally said, moving with Luke, keeping his distance. “Padme Amidala Naberrie Skywalker of Naboo,” he forced the words out. As much as speaking her name killed him, the boy deserved to know her name. It should never have been kept from him. “Kenobi never told you.”

“Ben didn’t have time,” Luke shrugged, forcing himself to remain calm as they spoke, not wanting to set Vader off. “We were a little busy evading stormtroopers and the Navy.”

He was…relieved to know Kenobi had so little time to poison his son against him. “Come with me and I will tell you of her.”

“I can’t,” Luke shook his head. “Skywalker…you were married.” That was something of a relief, to know they had been married, that meant they had probably wanted him. “I saw…” he took a deep breath. “There was a lava planet, you were arguing and you…you…hurt her. how could you hurt her?” Luke demanded, Luke could feel Vader’s love when he said her name, how could he have ever hurt her?

If Vader could breathe out of sync with his respirator his sons’ words would have caused his breathing to stop. He had seen Mustafar? It was good he knew what Padme looked like but why that? “She betrayed me. She...I did not mean to harm her,” he forced out, anger surging. “How much did you see?”

“Your fight with Ben and how it ended. Two other fights, one was a young Ben, I think, and an older man facing a being I didn’t recognise, he was tattooed and had a double-bladed lightsaber, red. The other was you and Ben against an older human man, he cut your arm off.”

“Kenobi and his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn fighting Darth Maul. Our first fight against Count Dooku,” Vader ground out. He had seen three important duels in Vader’s own life, why?

“They were how I worked out who you are…Father.” He felt…lighter, for saying it out loud. “How could you have harmed her?”

“I did not mean to! I killed my angel!” Vader yelled, and Luke frowned in confusion

“You can’t have.”

Vader paused, “What?”

“How long was your fight with Kenobi? If you had killed her I wouldn’t have survived long enough for him to come back and… she had to have been alive. I have no memory of her,” he whispered.

Vader stared at his son, his Angel had lived? Long enough to give birth? His rage spiked, and he saw the boy back off, a brief flash of fear, and he forced the rage down. He did not want his son to fear him. “The Emperor told me I had killed her in my rage.”

“Pretty sure he lies about a lot of things,” Luke shot back, watching him warily, not liking his rage.

“Come with me, together we can destroy the Emperor,” Vader offered, and Luke shook his head.

“I will not turn. I am a Rebel, Father, I won’t betray them. I won’t betray my friends.”

“They are not worthy of you,” Vader growled, and Luke smiled.

“I love them, that is what matters,” he took a deep breath and turned to leave but the door slammed shut. “I can’t come with you. Let me go Father.”

“The Emperor will not allow it,” Vader answered, slowly taking his lightsaber form his belt. “If you will not turn you will die.”

Luke kept his back to him, closing his eyes in grief, a single tear slipping free. “I don’t want to fight you Father, but I will not come with you.” He heard the snap hiss of a blade activating and drew his own. He opened himself to the Force, allowing it to fill him, to take his grief and pain before turning to block a blow. They fought across the room until Luke was pushed back too far, looing his balance to fall into a pit.

“All too easy. Perhaps you are not as strong as the Emperor thought,” Vader admitted, though he did not really believe that, he could feel the bright star in the Force that was his son. Freezing steam rose from the pit as he watched, and he turned away, unable to watch his son go through that. He frowned and turned as his presence did not fade any, only to see Luke hanging from some of the hoses. “Impressive…most impressive,” he praised, that was a good leap.

Luke jumped down to the platform where he was separated from Vader by the steaming carbonite pit. He raised his hand and his lightsaber, which had fallen on another part of the platform, swiftly jumped into his outstretched hand and was instantly ignited. Vader immediately reignited his own blade to face him. Luke was torn, he did not want to fight him, but he couldn’t go with him.

“Obi-Wan has taught you well. You have controlled your fear... now release your anger,” Vader goaded, surely his son was angry over his Mother’s fate at least.

Luke was more cautious, controlling his emotions and keeping a closer watch on his surroundings. He began to retreat as Vader goaded him on. As Luke took a defensive position, he realised he was vastly out skilled. A quick exchange and Luke forced Vader back a little, so he pressed the attack, pushing him further back, but why? There was no way he was actually winning. Breathing hard, Luke jumped in the air, turning a somersault over Vader.  He landed on the floor and slashed at Vader as the room continued to fill up with steam. He was not fighting to kill, he couldn’t, but he could injure him and make a run for it.

Vader retreated before Luke's skilful sword work, impressed by how much he had improved. Someone was teaching him, but who? Vader blocked the sword, and Force pushed Luke who lost his balance again and fell into the outer rim of pipes.  Luke landed hard but soon scrambled up, summoning his saber from where it had fallen before quickly running, trying to get away.

He came out in a room with a big viewport looking out into the internal workings of the lower part of the city. A piece of equipment suddenly flew at him and he ducked. Piece after piece was thrown at him and he dodged most, cutting some down. Luke cried out in pain as he was hit by a large piece even as the viewport was shattered by another. The sudden change in pressure pulled him out and he grabbed onto the edge. He hung there for a moment, panting, before hauling himself up and back into the now empty room. He knew what his Father was doing, exhausting him, giving minor injuries, he would be easy to subdue and capture.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Lando quickly activated the city’s internal comm. “Attention! This is Lando Calrissian. The Empire has taken control of the city. I advise everyone to leave before more Imperial troops arrive.” He put it back in, typing in his override codes, relieved they hadn’t managed to block him out, yet. “This way.” he took off down another hall and they followed, no matter how unhappy Chewie was about his betrayal. They made it to the landing platform, chased by stormtroopers. Lando opened the door and they ran across the platform, Lando and Leia pausing to lay down cover fire for Chewie as he ran up the ramp. “Leia! Go!”

She hesitated but then bolted up the ramp and into the cockpit, helping Chewie to get the ship powered up.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Luke moved along the railing and up to the control room, eyes and senses peeled for any sign of his Father. If he could just get back to his ship he would have a chance of escaping.

Vader lunged at him and Luke immediately lifted his saber to meet Vader's. Sparks flew as they duelled, Vader gradually forcing Luke backward toward the gantry. “You are beaten. It is useless to resist. Don't let yourself be destroyed as Obi-Wan did,” Vader tried to get him to surrender before the duel went too far.

Luke answered by rolling sideways and thrusting his saber at Vader so viciously that he nicked Vader on the shoulder. The black armour sparked and smoked, and Vader cried out in shock, but immediately recovered.

Luke backed off along the narrow end of the gantry as Vader came at him, slashing at the young Jedi with his saber. Luke made a quick move around the instrument complex attached to the end of the gantry, trying to get away from the boiling rage filling his Father, maybe that hadn’t been his best move. Vader's blade came slashing down, cutting the complex loose; it began to fall, then was caught by the rising wind and blown upward.

Luke glanced at the instrument complex floating away but immediately realised his mistake and began to move, to recover from the distraction but it was too late. At that instant, Vader's saber came down across Luke's right forearm, cutting off his hand and sending his lightsaber flying down into the chasm. Luke screamed in pain and shock, stumbling back from his Father, mind spinning. He…how could he…In great pain, Luke squeezed his forearm under his left armpit and moved back along the gantry to its extreme end, desperate to get away.

Vader stared in shock, rage leaving him as he stared at his sons battered, mutilated, form. He had not meant to land such a blow, he had not expected the boy’s distraction, had thought he would block. “There is no escape. Don't make me destroy you. You do not yet realise your importance. You have only begun to discover your power. Join me and I will complete your training. With our combined strength, we can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the galaxy.” It was as close as he could get to begging, Luke needed medical attention he needed to get him to the Executor. He should have allowed him to escape earlier and simply gone after him again at another time rather than turn it into a fight. Perhaps Luke would have sought him out to learn more after a while.

“No!” Luke shouted, blue eyes wide with pain, not only physical.

“Luke. You can destroy the Emperor. He has foreseen this. It is your destiny. Join me, and together we can rule the galaxy as father and son. Come with me. It is the only way.” He stared at his son as the child clung tenaciously to the metal, a fatal drop beneath him. He stretched his hand out to the boy, Padme’s son, even as the boy trembled. The Force was silent, waiting for a decision to be made. Luke had grown strong, as his son how could he be anything else? But pain and shock were taking their toll on the youth and Vader could feel his consciousness flicker alarmingly. “Take my hand Luke,” he urged. Promising to kill him had been easy but staring at him now he knew he could never destroy his own child, all that was left of his beloved Padme.

“No,” Luke whispered but his grip was slipping, the wind pulling at him relentlessly.

Vader moved as close as he dared, doubting the section Luke had crawled across would take his far greater weight. He reached out with the Force even as Luke finally passed out and let go. Even as he began to fall Vader caught him and pulled his limp body closer until he was safely in his arms. He stared at the injuries their fight had caused and felt a flash of guilt for the first time in years. Luke may have his hair and eyes, but he had Padme’s height, nose and chin. A gloved hand gently brushed sweat soaked hair back from his face. For the first time in almost two decades he didn’t know what to do. He should take the boy to his Master and then watch as he was either turned or killed and yet he hesitated. Could he watch Luke’s light extinguished like that? That really left only one option, return him to the Rebellion and pray the Force kept him safe. He didn’t like the idea at all, they were not worthy of the boy’s loyalty but in this condition, he could not risk him anywhere near the Emperor.

Vader sighed and then adjusted his grip on Luke before striding from the room. He could sense the Princess and her companions on one of the nearby landing platforms. He wasn’t surprised they had escaped his men, she was as resourceful, and another Senator had once been. All he had to do was get there before they left and turn Luke over to them. His son remained utterly limp in his hold as he navigated the hallways only to stop at the doors onto the platform as he felt the Falcon take off. He was running out of options and Luke needed medical aide soon. While the wound had been cauterised by his lightsaber, so he was not losing blood, shock was a worrying factor. Luke made a soft noise of distress and Vader shifted his grip to gently stroke his hair, soothing him. He pulled out his commlink and contacted his shuttle, ordering all personnel off to search the station for Luke. He waited a few seconds to give them time and then headed for his shuttle, using the Force to remain unseen. 

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Chewie dug through the Falcon’s innards, rushing to try and get the hyperdrive online as Lando and Leia worked in the cockpit. They had to escape, Vader’s ship was too close.

Leia kept from breaking down as she ran diagnostics. Han was gone and Luke...what would Vader do to him? Could he escape from that monster again?

Lando threw the ship into a spin and she grabbed her chair for balance.

In the engine compartment, Chewie hit a small switch as he fell back due to the manoeuvre.

The hyperdrive activated and they escaped into hyperspace, all of them collapsing in relief.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

He lay Luke down on the medical bunk on the shuttle and turned the various monitoring systems on. He then reached for Luke through the Force to help nudge him into a healing trance, watching as several readings moved closer to normal once the trance was achieved. That was a good sign. He looked through what was provided and found the best option, slipping it over the severed wrist and then sealing it over Luke’s lower arm. The bacta would promote healing and help later when a prosthetic was attached. Thankfully artificial limbs had come a long way since he had lost his hand on Geonosis. No one would ever be able to tell by sight that Luke had lost his hand. He then covered the worst of the various cuts and injected an antibacterial to lower the chances of infection. He also took a blood sample and ran it through the computer to check his health generally. Overall, he appeared to be in good condition though lacking in a few vitamins, but another shot took care of that. He splinted his lower left leg when the scan came back showing a hairline fracture, not wanting to risk it breaking further. Luke needed access to an actual medical facility not to mention a way back to his own fleet. 

Vader sat beside the bunk just watching his son as the medicines and machines worked to stabilise him. Who knew if he would ever get the chance to simply watch over his child again? After this they would be enemies once more, each fighting on opposite sides of the war. It could not be any different, he would not give the boy to Sidious and he could not leave his Master. He blinked, yes, he had fully decided, he would keep Luke safe from his Master.

"Ben……Yoda……. Father……” The tormented whispers left his son and Vader hesitated, unsure what to do. Yoda? How could Luke know of the Grand Master unless…. was it possible the old troll still lived? That would explain how Luke’s presence felt more trained now than the last time they had met. “Leia….” His son called desperately. 

“Hush Luke, rest my son,” Vader spoke as gently as possible, unable to take the anguish in his sons’ calls. Blue eyes fluttered open slightly before falling shut again. It was better that Luke did not wake, he did not want to face his fear and pain right now. 

Sound from the landing pad had him standing and moving to the ramp only to stare in surprise at the sight that greeted him. The astromech wheeling towards him and whistling was so familiar. A slight smile crossed his lips beneath his mask as he remembered the faithful droid. It made sense the loyal droid had made its way to Luke’s side since he had been with Padme when Luke was born. And right now, the small droid was telling him off and all but threatening him if Luke was harmed, electricity crackling as his small saw came out as well. “Your Master is very much alive old friend.” R2 hesitated, beeping in confusion before suddenly exploding in noise as he obviously made the connection. “Come R2, he will need you to return to his friends.” The small droid followed him into the shuttle, sad noises coming from him as he took in Luke’s condition. “If Luke is returned to his ship can you take him back to the Rebel Fleet?” He questioned and R2 beeped the affirmative. “No one must know I returned him or of our connection, it will place him in more danger.” R2 made a sad noise and bumped his leg gently. “No, I cannot come.” R2 fell silent and they watched as Luke slept until he was deemed stable enough to move. Vader then scooped his child up in his arms and left the shuttle, R2 following right behind. They made their way to where Luke had landed his X-Wing and Vader leapt up, balancing awkwardly beside the cockpit as he lowered Luke in as carefully as possible. He picked up Luke’s helmet and carefully settled it over his head before strapping him in securely. He levitated R2 up and into his spot, the little droid quickly began running the pre-flight routine. “Look after him R2,” Vader ordered, and the droid whistled in agreement. “Farewell my son. May the Force be with you,” he murmured and then dropped back to the ground and moved away even as the ship began to life off. He stood there until the ship was out of sight and then returned to his shuttle, calling off the search for Luke in order to return to the Executor. 

On the way he felt his son’s presence vanish as his fighter went to light speed. He had done what he could to spare the child this time. But they would meet again one day, and the Force told him only one of them would come out of that encounter alive. He found he truly did not wish to ever kill Padme’s son. If Yoda still lived, then the next time they met his son would be even further in his Jedi training. He did not understand why the boy felt so untrained, he had to be almost twenty years old, in the days of the Republic he would be of an age to begin preparation for his Trials, yet he felt more like a Padawan of only a few years. What had Obi-Wan been doing with him all these years? Luke had admitted they had little time together. Had Owen kept Kenobi away?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Princess,” Carlist Rieekan called in relief as she walked down the ramp. “We feared the worst,” he admitted and then frowned as Chewie and a stranger emerged from the ship. “Solo?”

“Taken by bounty hunters. This is Lando Calrissian, Han’s friend. He saved us from the Empire’s trap,” she explained tiredly.

“Have you heard from Commander Skywalker? He never made the rendezvous.” But there had been no sign of the Commanders ship with the Falcon.

“He came to rescue us at Bespin. It was a trap for him by Vader, I saw him, he tried to get to us…we couldn’t go back for him, we were under continual fire,” she admitted softly.

“Don’t give up on the Commander yet Princess, he’s resourceful,” Carlist offered and she nodded.

She looked across the hanger to see members of Rogue Squadron gathered, hoping for news of their Commander. Wedge left the group and approached. “Princess?”

“Luke was alive when I saw him,” she answered.

“But?” Wedge frowned, looking from her to the General.

“Vader set a trap and we were the bait,” she finished, fighting not to show her pain and fear even as Wedge blanched. “If anyone can get away it’s Luke.”

“Yes Ma’am.”

“General!” A voice called, and they turned to see a lieutenant running across the hanger. “An X-Wing just came out of hyperspace! We can’t raise the pilot but the astromech is sending the correct codes. Sir…it’s Skywalker. Droid is indicating medical emergency. We’ve cleared it to the medical frigate.”

Leia wavered on her feet and Wedge moved to ensure she stayed upright, terrified for Luke, how badly was he injured that R2 was the one flying? “Come on Princess, let’s get over there, if he saw you in trouble, he’ll need to know you’re safe.” Wedge glanced at General Rieekan, almost daring him to say now but he nodded.

“Keep her safe Lieutenant,” he ordered, and Wedge nodded, getting her back on the Falcon which was quickly cleared to leave. They landed and quickly disembarked to find a group surrounding a long X-Wing and quickly ran over to find flight crew pulling the battered form of Luke Skywalker from the cockpit, his body limp in their hold. Leia gasped and pointed, and Wedge moaned in grief as he saw Luke’s hand…or the stump where it should be. He was quickly settled on a gurney and then they were running for the nearest medical suite. They spent the next hours waiting anxiously for word on his condition and finally a human medic emerged, looking pale.

“Princess,” he greeted her as the ranking person in the room.

“Is Luke…”

“Commander Skywalker is expected to make a full physical recovery,” he said quickly, seeing them all relax. “The amputation was a clean, cauterised wound, so it will take a prosthetic well. His unconsciousness appears to be nothing more than shock, pain and exhaustion. He was given basic aide after his injuries, whether he managed himself before passing out or someone else provided it we won’t know until he wakes. The other injuries are from impacts, cuts, bruises… all would cause pain, but none are dangerous. It is possible he underwent some mild torture or was in a physical fight although his hand shows no signs of defensive wounds. It appears the Commandeer has been living off rations since the evacuation, he needs some proper meals. We have also given medication to help handle the massive amount of microbials he has collected, it looks like he was in a swamp for some time and his uniform would suggest that as well.”

“When can we see him?” Wedge asked.

“We are making him comfortable. He will undergo surgery tomorrow as long as he regains consciousness beforehand. I’ll allow you in one at a time for no more than five minutes.”

They didn’t even have to discuss who was going first. Leia walked over to the bed, taking in how pale and small Luke looked on the bed. He’d lost weight but had also gained muscle, where had he been before Bespin? Why hadn’t he returned to the Fleet? She reached out and took his hand. “it’s alright Luke, you’re safe,” she whispered, and he shifted towards her. “I’m here,” she ran her fingers through his now clean hair and Luke pressed into her touch. She held her breath as his eyelids fluttered before opening slowly. “Welcome back,” she smiled as he blinked at her before he jolted and went to sit up, but she moved to hold him down. “Luke! It’s okay, you’re safe,” she called, and the door opened, Wedge quickly moving to help her hold him down even as the machines monitoring him began to beep.

“Luke! Look at me,” Wedge snapped and was relieved as Luke slowly focused on him before slumping back, exhausted.

“Wedge?” he asked in confusion and then he saw Leia. “Leia?”

“Hey farmboy,” she squeezed his hand.

“You’re on the medical frigate Luke, safe with the Fleet,” Wedge quickly explained as the medical droid checked on the monitors and then Luke.

“I... how?” he felt so confused.

“Shhh, don’t worry about anything. Just rest. You need sleep to get better,” she soothed, seeing his eyelids drooping.

Luke shifted, lifting his arm and froze as he saw the stump, staring blankly at it for a second before heaving and they quickly rolled him onto his side as he threw up. The medical droid injected something, and the heaving tapered off even as he began to lose consciousness. They got him resettled on the bed and Luke clung weakly to Leia’s hand until the drugs pulled him under.

“Such a reaction is not uncommon when the patient sees an injury like that,” the medical droid told them as maintenance droids quickly cleaned up the floor.

Wedge gently drew her away and they went to see Lando and Chewie. “He woke up briefly but was pretty out of it,” he told them.

It was good to hear, not that Lando knew the kid as anything but someone Vader had desperately wanted, so how had he gotten away? That list of injuries said it had not been easy or pleasant. Chewie was relieved, he had lost Han to Jabba for now, he would not lose the boy or the Princess.

TBC…

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: not mine

Chapter 5

After a few hours the group dispersed, all needing sleep, and that allowed a man to slip into the private medical room. He moved to stand at the foot of the bed, staring at the young man sleeping in it. He’d been hearing stories of Luke Skywalker since shortly after the Battle of Yavin, but he had never managed to be in the same place at the same time. Was the name a coincidence? A sick publicity stunt? Looking at him he was beginning to think it wasn’t a coincidence. He grimaced when he saw the braced arm ending in a stump, how many times had he seen wounds like that? Rumours were already being passed along that he had faced Vader, which explained the injury. She had told him who Vader had once been and if this boy really was who he was claimed to be… he stilled as the boy stirred restlessly on the bed, a soft moan coming from him as his eyelids flickered. Blue eyes slowly opened and focused on him even as the boy stiffened in alarm.

“Easy Commander,” he raised his hands. “I’m not a threat.”

“Who…are you?” Luke tried to push himself up and saw the injury again, swallowing heavily and then the stranger moved closer, gently helping him sit up. He wore an Alliance uniform but that didn’t mean he was an actual Rebel, he wouldn’t put it passed Vader to get someone in. he swallowed on a dry throat and the man picked up the sealed cup, helping him drink some of the cool water.

“Sergeant Torrent,” he answered, it was the name he was using at the moment. He hadn’t used his own name since she had vanished.

Luke frowned at the man and then shook his head. “No, it’s not.”

He blinked and then chuckled. “You’re good, it’s the name I use these days. You’re really Luke Skywalker?”

“Who else would I be?” Luke asked, running slowly through one of the Force exercises Yoda had taught him for clearing drugs and also to help control pain, wanting a clear head even as he ignored his injury. He didn’t want to deal with that.

“Someone being used for publicity, to take advantage of the name.”

Luke frowned, there was something…. protective? Why? “You knew him…. you knew my Father,” Luke whispered as the Force nudged him.

“I served under Jedi General Anakin Skywalker in the Clone Wars,” he confirmed quietly, seeing blue eyes widen in shock and awe. Seeing him awake…he was the General’s ad, no doubt, though he must have gotten his height from his Mother.

Luke slumped back at that, shocked to meet someone who had known the man his Father had been. Mon Mothma had mentioned him but had admitted she’d only ever met him briefly and only a few times.

He shifted and saluted. “Captain Rex of the Grand Army of the Republic,” he said and watched as the Commander nodded slowly, obviously sensing that was true. “I would have sought you out earlier sir, but we never seem to be in the same place at the same time,” he offered, not wanting him to think that Rex had been avoiding him. “Rumour says you faced Vader and I’ve seen wounds like that before.” He did wonder about the facial scarring, but it was older and there had been rumours Skywalker had been almost killed on Hoth before the Empire even arrived.

Luke grimaced at the question, but he knew someone official would be asking at some point. He nodded slowly. “It was Vader,” he whispered, fighting down the surge of grief and pain.

Watching the boy’s face…he knew who Vader had once been as well. “I’m sorry,” he whispered and saw the Commander start, eyes wide.

“You…you know,” he choked out and Rex moved closer, seeing the panic.

“Easy Luke,” it was weird using his first name, but he needed him to calm down before med droids rushed in due to the change in his readings. “I’ve known for a few years now what happened to my General. No one will hear it from me,” he promised, gently fixing the blankets for him.

“Did you know my Mother?” Luke asked, feeling exhausted and Rex smiled.

“There was only ever one woman for him, even if they had to hide it because of their positions. But we all saw how they reacted to each other. Senator Amidala was a good woman, never knew she was pregnant till I saw footage of the funeral. If I’d known you had survived I would have come looking, to protect you.”

Luke stared at him, sensing his sincerity. What would it have been like with this man watching over him? To have had someone there who would tell him about his parents. “Thank you,” Luke bit back a yawn, he was still exhausted.

“Get some sleep Sir, I’ll talk to you later,” Rex hated the haunted look, the exhaustion. Just what had happened between them? What had his General done to his own child? He stayed, keeping watch, until Luke was asleep and then slipped away to keep watch from a distance.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

They were once again waiting for news as Luke underwent the operation to attach his new hand when Rieekan walked in, not looking pleased, General Cracken with him. Leia stood immediately, as did Wedge although he saluted while she just stared at them, calm, cool and distant as she had been taught as a Princess and Senator. She was dressed in a comfortable gown of white, hair braided and now well rested. “Generals,” she greeted. “If you wanted an update on Commander Skywalker, he is currently in surgery.”

“He woke?”

“Briefly but he was rather confused due to the medications,” she answered, feeling wary. “What is this about?”

“Commander Skywalker was AWOL for over a month Princess, that raises questions. Then he shows up conveniently in time to attempt your rescue only to face Vader and somehow survive, again,” Cracken answered stiffly, obviously he was the one behind this.

Lando shivered as he watched the Princess go utterly icy, worse than he’d seen at Cloud City even. The relationship between her, Han and the boy appeared very complicated and confusing. He had seen her kiss Han, tell him she loved him, but her reaction to Skywalker… it was none of his business.

“Just what are you suggesting?” She demanded.

“No one is suggesting anything,” Rieekan butted in before Cracken could say something to really make the Princess mad. “High Command simply wants to know where he has been.” He glared at his fellow General, he knew the other man had never trusted Skywalker, though he didn’t know why. And he was spreading that distrust as much as he could among the other members of Command. Skywalker had become a legend in the Alliance, not just for the destruction of the Death Star but for his forming of Rogue Squadron, the impossible missions they had completed and for being a Jedi, even if even he admitted he wasn’t trained fully. He had become as much a symbol of hope as the Princess was. Anakin Skywalker had been a hero as well, loved by the people, known for pulling off the impossible…many had held out hope that if any Jedi could survive the Purge it would be him. So why was Cracken targeting him?

“Then I will help him write his report once he has recovered from surgery,” she answered and Rieekan nodded, that was good enough for him, but Cracken did not look happy.

“That sounds acceptable to me as well,” Mon Mothma called as she entered the room, dressed like Leia in a gown of white, her short red hair as neat as always. Her presence was a surprise, a welcome one for Carlist and Leia. Cracken nodded and left and the room relaxed. “How is he Leia?”

“Traumatised and exhausted,” she admitted to her one-time mentor.

Mon Mothma nodded, “Keep me appraised, I must return to my ship.”

“Thank you, Ma’am, but how did you know to be here?” Wedge asked, and she smiled sadly

“General Cracken has been trying to gain support for a trial, thankfully he approached someone who brought that to me. I will do what I can to derail such plans.”

“Why doesn’t he like Luke?” Leia didn’t understand why he was targeting him.

“I do not know, keep me informed of his progress.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Luke stirred, waking slowly to find a med droid beside him.

“Welcome back Commander. Surgery was successful, as you can see.”

Luke took a deep breath and looked down, eyes widening as he saw a hand where he knew there should be nothing. It looked so real! He tried to move it, twitch a finer, anything and watched in awe as his fingers twitched.

“Very good sir,” the droid said even as it opened the access panel in the wrist, revealing the mechanics within. “I need to test your reactions Commander.” It began doing something and Luke watched as his fingers moved, wincing as he actual felt a brief bit of pain. “Very good sir.” It pulled back and Luke pushed the panel closed, not wanting to see the mechanics any more. Good thing they were covered, or he’d end up tinkering with it all the time. The droid left and Luke took a deep breath before swinging his legs off the side of the bed, carefully standing.

He held onto the bed as his head swam and then slowly moved away, over to the viewport, wanting to see the stars. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, letting the Force fill him, soothing him. There was a big question in his mind, now that he was thinking clearly. How had he gotten here? His last memory was clinging on above a deadly fall, Vader holding a hand out to him. It didn’t make sense, if he’d fallen he should be dead, if Vader had saved him from that then surely, he’d be aboard the Executor. He turned as the door opened and smiled as he saw Leia who ran to his side. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight, and she returned the embrace.

“Oh Luke, I was so scared,” she whispered, letting herself cling to him.

Luke held her close, head on her shoulder as he fought tears. Would she still cling if she knew the truth? Vader had caused her so much pain… he shook it. Off to comfort her. “I’m alright,” he whispered, and she pulled back to look him in the eye.

“Liar.” She ran her fingers through his hair. “No hair trimmers where you were?”

That startled a laugh out of him. “Definitely not.”

“Medics said it looked like you’ve been in a swamp,” she tried not to push, and he smiled softly.

“I was. a Jedi Master survived Leia, I was with him, training. I had a vision of you in pain at Cloud City so I left training,” he explained tenderly.

“You shouldn’t have risked yourself for us,” she chided without heat.

Luke frowned, staring at her, sensing something… “Where’s Han?” he felt her tremble and pulled her close again. “He’s alive, I know I sensed him.”

“Vader gave him to the bounty hunter, Fett, to take to Jabba,” she whispered. All those times she’d pushed Han for one more mission…she should have flown him to Tatooine immediately to pay off that debt. “He…he put him in carbonite.”

“I’m so sorry,” he kissed the top of her head, feeling her grief and fighting to not give in to his own. If he’d left sooner…no, he knew better than to think ‘what if’.

“It’s not your fault.”

“Isn’t it? He…he wanted me,” Luke forced out.

“Luke,” she gently stroked his cheek and he leant into her touch. She’d barely seen him since his last stint in medical and the scars on his face changed it, made him look older. “High Command is asking for a report. Cracken is pushing that you went AWOL.”

He shuddered, leaning against her and she hugged him tight. “I…”

“You don’t have to give it right now,” she whispered, leading him back to the bed. “You had surgery this morning, the medics will back me up on you needing more rest.”

Luke smiled shakily and got back into bed, he was exhausted still and maybe getting up hadn’t been the brightest of ideas. “Love you,” he whispered even as his eyes closed, and she smiled softly.

“I know,” she kissed his forehead and slipped out of the room to find only Wedge waiting. “Sorry Wedge, he’s asleep again.”

“He probably needs it Princess,” he assured her as she sat.

“He does,” she agreed.

“His hand?” Wedge asked cautiously.

“You can’t tell the difference between them and he was moving it. It won’t affect his flying at all.”

“Did he say anything about where he’s been? General Cracken can’t really bring him up on charges, can he?”

Leia sighed, “With enough support he could call for a Court Martial. Luke did tell me some of where he was before Bespin. He said he was training with a hidden Jedi Master.”

“Well that’s good, right? He needs to be fully trained and Command has to see that is good.”

“Yes, but it will be argued that he should have told someone, sought permission.”

Wedge groaned. “The evacuation was a disaster. Who was he meant to have told?”

“And I’ll argue that,” she promised, but she knew Luke could have asked her, but she had only seen him for a few minutes.

“Did he say anything about his hand?”

“No, he said he had a vision of us being in trouble so that is how he ended up at Bespin, but he couldn’t speak of what happened there. I told him a report will be needed though.”

Rex pulled back from where he’d been listening to their conversation, worried. He’d failed his General, he would not fail his ad. Why was someone trying to charge the Alliance’s only Jedi? It didn’t make sense. He’d only heard General Cracken, he’d never met the man and the name wasn’t familiar from the War. Was it possible he’d somehow learnt who Vader had once been and was seeking to punish the son for the sins of the Father? Where was Ahsoka when he needed her? at least the kid had some support from his own Squadron and the Princess, but would that be enough? It was time to start making plans for his safety in case things did go wrong that badly.

TBC…

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: Not mine

Chapter 6

Airen Cracken finished the file, staring at it. It was his proof, every ‘coincidence’ surrounding Commander Skywalker. The boy had come out of nowhere, supposedly the only child of Jedi General Anakin Skywalker who was assumed killed in the Purge. He’d been raised on Tatooine, which according to the little information he had was listed as the elder Skywalker’s home planet, under the eye of Purge survivor General Kenobi. Kenobi and Skywalker had been legends. How had Kenobi survived if Skywalker hadn’t? the Princess had barely gotten a look at the man; how did they really know it had been Kenobi? It could have been anyone, using his name. Skywalker had destroyed the Death Star, killing over a million Imperials, a massive blow to their enemy. But after that? Far too many of their missions had ended with Inquisitors showing up, Rebel agents vanishing…and now this, Skywalker faced Vader again and escaped alive. One escape he could believe, anyone could have a lucky day, but this was too many, even if he had lost a limb in the fight. And where had he been since Hoth? It was time the Commander be made to answer their questions.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Mon Mothma read the security brief and frowned, that was not good. She had known from the first image she had seen that the boy was the son of Anakin Skywalker, he was the spitting image of his Father, other than in height. his hair had been lighter, still sun bleached, but it had darkened since he joined them to the colour she remembered from General Skywalker. She had her suspicions over who his Mother was, she had seen them interact several times during the war. She had looked up to Padme Amidala, the then older woman had been something of a mentor to her when she joined the Senate in the last months of the war. Luke had her spirit, her kindness and her height.

She also knew what had become of Anakin but had never told a soul, though she suspected Bail had known as well, as had Fulcrum, Lady Tano but that was to be expected, she had been his Padawan once. That was one secret that Cracken did not appear to have cracked, yet. She had done everything she could to protect the boy but now it seemed too many questions were being asked. And she had to wonder, did he now know himself? How had he escaped Vader when he was so injured his astromech had piloted him back? Had Vader let him go? She did not doubt Luke’s loyalty to their cause, he had too many friends among them, she had seen him risk everything for the men under his command time after time.

She quickly sent an encrypted message, one to Leia and the other to Rogue Squadron.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Wes looked at his comm and frowned but then got up. “Move it Rogues! We’ve got orders.”

“What about Wedge and Luke?” Tycho asked and he shrugged.

“Guess we’ll find out,” he offered as they moved off, grabbing flight suits, weapons and helmets before heading for their ships to launch. Wes nodded as Wedge’s ship launched with them, his astromech in control and his ship moved to the medical frigate so that answered the question of who would be in command because there was no way Luke was ready yet.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Leia read the message and paled even as Wedge read his and frowned. “Suite up Wedge,” she ordered as she stood. “Lando, I’ll need your help,” she called as she walked into Luke’s room to find him eating some sort of porridge.

He looked up and managed a tired smile but then frowned. “Leia?”

“You need to run Luke.”

“What?” He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood slowly, Lando moving in to support him.

“Cracken’s ordered your arrest as a suspected Imperial Agent,” she answered, and Luke blanched, swaying and Lando kept him on his feet.

“Leia…”

He looked so lost, she moved in and kissed his cheek. “It’s just until Mon and I can fix this, then you can come home. Where’s your flight suite?”

“Here Princess,” Rex answered as he walked in, holding out a new one.

She eyed the aging soldier warily but accepted the orange cloth and they moved to help Luke dress. “Leave the flying to Artoo and send messages when you can, just make sure they can’t be traced back to you.”

“I won’t run, it’ll just make it look like he’s right,” Luke argued even as Lando strapped his boots on.

Leia shook her head. “You had the basics for interrogation training since your bounty was for alive. The real thing… I won’t let them put you through that. Rogue Squadron will get you out and then you run. Find somewhere to go to ground or stay on the move. Just don’t come back till it’s safe.”

Would it ever be safe for him to come back? How long until his parentage came out? They would never trust him then. How could he leave her? His men? He closed his eyes, reaching for Han’s familiar presence but he wasn’t there, no Han was gone. “I’ll find him,” he whispered as Leia wrapped her arms around him. “I promise I’ll find him for you.”

Leia blinked back tears as she realised what Luke was promising. “Don’t you dare die,” she whispered, and he nodded. “I love you.”

“I love you too Leia,” he pulled away and looked at Rex, seeing the bags he was holding.

“I’ve got a ship prepped and loaded, I’ll follow you out.”

“Rex…”

“I failed my General all those years ago, I won’t fail you,” he swore.

Leia frowned and then it hit her, she’d seen his face before, several times actually. He was a clone. There were still a few serving with the Alliance although they were all old before their time. “Keep him safe.”

Rex saluted and then moved to support Luke as they moved from the medical rooms to the hanger where Wedge was just strapping in to his own cockpit. They got Luke up the ladder and into his own, Luke settling his own helmet. Rex saluted Leia and then jogged over to a small ship and went aboard. Soon all three ships were taking off and Leia watched as the they moved to join the rest of Rogue Squadron before the group went to lightspeed. She hoped entrusting Luke to a clone was the right thing to do, but who else could go? She felt a hand on her shoulder and mustered a smile for Chewie who had joined them before her chin went up and her expression hardened as she made for the Falcon, she had some fellow Command members to talk to.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Rogue Squadron dropped out of hyperspace a handful of systems away from the Fleet.

“Why the hell are you flying Luke?” Wes demanded.

“If he’s following order R2’s the one flying,” Wedge answered. “Cracken’s flipped, order Luke arrested.”

“What?” the comms exploded as the Squadron let their anger out.

“Enough,” Luke ordered tiredly, and they fell silent.

On his ship, listening in, Rex was impressed.

“What are the orders?” Luke asked.

“Scouting a new base location boss,” Wedge answered.

“Then get to it, don’t worry about me. You’ve got command Wedge,” Luke told them, and it hurt. They had become his friends, his family and now he was being forced to leave them behind. No one liked it but eventually the eleven ships vanished, leaving a single X-Wing and a YT-2400 light freighter.

“You better dock so we can get moving, Sir,” Rex offered and then watched as the X-Wing manoeuvred into place before activating the docking clamps to keep it tucked up against the hull safely. Soon Luke and a very familiar astromech joined him and it hurt when the droid quickly got between them, electrical prod and saw extended protectively and Rex knelt. “Easy R2, I’m safe,” he brushed a hand over the scar on his head. “I would never hurt him, I’m here to keep your pilot safe.”

Artoo hesitated but the weapons were withdrawn and then he was bumping up against Rex, gently.

A hand rested on his dome and Rex smiled. “I’m glad to see you too.” He stood and looked at his Commander. “Where too sir?”

“It’s Luke,” he put a hand on the wall and Rex moved to support him, helping him to the cockpit to sit in the co-pilots seat. He hesitated, but he didn’t feel up to seeing Master Yoda yet. He needed a lightsabre, but you couldn’t exactly buy one of those so… “Tatooine,” he grimaced, he never wanted to go back but it was the best choice, if there was anything left of Ben’s hut. Besides, Tatooine was where Jabba the Hutt was which meant  sooner or later Fett would arrive with Han.

Rex grimaced but nodded and set the course, Artoo plugging in to help. He’d never been there himself, but General Skywalker’s dislike of the place had been legendary…which would have made it the perfect hiding place for his son. He pulled back the levers and they were safely away, hopefully hours ahead of any potential pursuit.

“So, is there a plan behind all of this?” Luke asked once they were on their way, leaning back in the chair, still exhausted but it looked like he wouldn’t be getting any real rest anytime soon.

“I don’t know,” Rex admitted. “I intercepted the arrest warrant and was planning to get you out. I’m not sure what the Princess and your Squadron had planned.”

“I just hope they don’t get in trouble over me.”

“I think if you asked them, they’d say it was worth it,” Rex admitted gently. “Come on, I’ll show you to your bunk and the galley. Hungry?”

“Not really, just tired.”

“You just had surgery S... Luke, it’ll take time,” Rex assured him before helping him to the room and making sure Luke was comfortable before going to get himself a meal and talk with R2.

TBC…

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: Not mine

Chapter 7

Cracken walked towards the medical room where Commander Skywalker was convalescing, he could finish his recovery in a cell as far as he was concerned. He frowned when he found the outer room empty but nodded and his men opened the door to the suite only to find the bed empty and the equipment dark. He quickly found a medical droid. “Where is Commander Skywalker?”

“He discharged himself and left with his Squadron,” the droid answered and Cracken snarled, someone had warned him. But who?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Rex happily gave up piloting for Luke as they approached the desert planet. A few days of rest and Luke had improved immensely, now using his prosthetic hand as if it was the real thing. Rex was just relieved he was recovered, at least physically, there wasn’t a lot he could have done if his health had declined. Thankfully the ship looked like just another cargo or smuggler vessel, so they weren’t challenged as they entered the atmosphere, even though rex knew there was a garrison on the planet.

Luke glanced at him. “The garrison doesn’t do much but terrorisethe locals and arrest trouble makers. The Hutt’s have too much power here.” He brought them in towards a town and then dropped low, skimming across the sands.

“So where are we going?” Rex asked as they headed deep into the desert.

“The Jundland Wastes, south western edge of the Dune Sea. Ben’s hut is there,” Luke answered, keeping his eye out for anyone who might see them.

“Ben?” that wasn’t a name he recognised.

“Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

Rex started at that name. “General Kenobi?” he had thought the General had died in Order 66, gunned down by Cody and his men. he knew his Brother, Cody wouldn’t have missed, so how had he survived?

“Yeah, he brought me here as a baby, to my Aunt and Uncle. He kept watch over me all my life, until Leia sent Artoo and Threepio and the Empire came,” Luke explained softly, and Rex winced, he could guess easily enough what had happened to his family. Luke brought the ship around an outcrop and there it was, a small dwelling nestled in and half hidden.

“So, why come here? Surely others know about it?”

“Leia at least, Vader, Boba Fett nearly caught me here too, but we shouldn’t be here long. Besides, I promised Leia I’d find Han, Fett has him and was planning to give him to Jabba. Makes sense to stay on the planet,” Luke explained as he shut the engines down.

Rex grimaced, a rescue mission against a Hutt with only the two of them, and possibly against Boba Fett…. “Boba Fett is a clone, he was the only non-altered clone created from Jango Fett. Jango raised him until he was killed in the opening battle of the Clone Wars,” Rex informed him as the three of them left the ship and entered the hut. Rex looked around, General Kenobi had lived here? The Jedi had never owned much so the size and austerity wasn’t a surprise, but it felt…cold. Kenobi had been rather formal, had tried to keep his emotional distance, but never cold like this. He rested a hand on Artoo’s dome as the droid whistled sadly. Luke moved further into the hut, obviously looking for something. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath and then a section of the floor shifted, lifting out of place and then rested nearby. Luke grinned and then dropped into the hole. Rex sighed and shook his head, Jetii were all the same. He moved to the hole and looked down to see a cave.

“Coming?” Luke called up and Rex grimaced.

“Bit of a drop for these old bones Luke.”

“I’ll catch you,” he promised, and Rex hesitated but then lowered himself into the hole, feeling the sensation of something wrapping around him, lowering him gently to the ground. It had been a long time since he’d been moved around by the Force, but it was a familiar sensation. He looked around as Luke switched on the lights, it seemed the hut had been built over a natural cave formation.

There was an old power generator which Rex went to inspect and see if he could get running again, before the emergency solar powered lighting went out. Near that were vats of water he wouldn’t want to risk drinking and some old piping, leading to the vaporator outside and then up into the hut.

As he worked Luke looked around, he knew there was something else down here, he could feel it. He stopped in the middle of the cave and closed his eyes, opening himself to the Force and he walked over to a shelf of rock, running his fingers across it until he found the trigger, opening a hidden compartment. “Got it,” he grinned and pulled out two actual books as well a case.

Rex moved over as Luke opened the case to reveal an assortment of electronic parts and a bag. “Check the bag,” Rex told him as he spotted some familiar components. Sure enough, when Luke opened it, several crystals dropped out. “Kyber crystals, the heart of a lightsaber,” Rex whispered, he hadn’t seen one since the last time Ahsoka had to rebuild hers.

Luke carefully picked up one of the crystals and frowned. “It’s cold,” he whispered.

“Try them all. A…my Commander said that the right crystal will sing and warm in your hand.”

Luke put the bag down on the shelf and carefully picked up each crystal until he stopped, closing his eyes, smiling slightly on the second last one. “This one.”

Rex smiled at seeing his reaction, pleased that the Jedi had another shot. He didn’t know where Ezra was anymore, Ahsoka and Kanan were dead… Luke was the best shot they had at rebuilding and taking down Vader and his Master. That was a lot of weight for one pair of shoulders, especially now he was being hunted by both sides of the conflict.

They went back up once the power was on and settled in to stay until they were ready to move on Jabba. Luke used the underground cave to work on his new lightsaber and Rex gave him the space needed. He had his own task as he worked with Artoo, trying to work out how his memories had been locked. General Skywalker had worked hard to ensure the droids memory couldn’t be erased, just locked, but there had been several methods, depending on who was available.

Eventually Luke came up, a green crystal in his hand and Rex grinned, slapping him on the back. Green was a surprising colour, Both Kenobi and Skywalker had always had blue crystals. Rex didn’t know enough to know if there was any meaning behind the colours, other than red, but he was coming to learn that Luke was different to both men. in some ways he was much more like the Senator.

“We need to start planning your friends rescue,” Rex told him, and Luke nodded.

“He’s not here yet, I can’t sense him. So, do we try and intercept Fett in space or wait till he’s handed Han over?” Luke took his turn prepping the meal.

“We blow the ship and there goes the rescue.”

“He’s frozen in carbonate at the moment but that would be very risky,” Luke plated up the simple meal.

“How long till you have your saber built?”

“A few days maybe?”

“I’ll start recon on Jabba’s then, take a look at what we’re up against.”

“He keeps a lot of bounty hunters and slavers around so be careful,” Luke warned.

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Cracken spotted the Princess and walked up to her. it had been several days since Rogue Squadron had left and it felt like the Princess was deliberately avoiding him, always having just left when he arrived. “Your Highness!” He called, and the hall fell silent.

“Yes?” her voice was like ice and that made the soldiers shift nervously but no one left, everyone curious over what was going on.

“Where is Commander Skywalker? I have a warrant for his arrest on suspected espionage,” he growled, and the corridor was dead silent now, everyone shocked by his words. The Hero of Yavin, Commander of Rogue Squadron suspected as a spy?

“Commander Skywalker has been sent on a classified mission.”

“On whose orders?” he couldn’t touch her, and he knew it, she was the Princess of Alderaan, a beacon of hope to all.

“Mine,” a new voice answered, and he turned to see Mon Mothma walking down the hall, Admiral Ackbar at her side.

“There are questions he must answer! He was AWOL, many of his Squadron’s missions have been compromised.”

“And that is why he spent that time in hiding, with the last surviving Jedi Master, learning to shield himself from those the Emperor employs to hunt Jedi,” Leia answered. She held out the data pad that she had found in Luke’s room after he had left, he’d obviously begun writing the report after she’d asked him for one eventually. Cracken took it and switched it on, reading the report.

“There’s nothing real here, no planet or names…”

“You want him to endanger the only other Jedi in the Galaxy?” Mon Mothma asked while silently wondering who had survived and managed to remain in hiding for so long. “Commander Skywalker is loyal to the Alliance and our cause, I do not appreciate you attempting to turn others against him. He is working under my authority and will continue to do so until I deem it safe for him to return.”

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He stared at the control panel as his helmet lowered over his head, confused. Since Bespin his sense of his son had increased…. perhaps because they both knew of and had acknowledge the blood they share? Reports put the Rebel Fleet on the other side of the galaxy to where he was sensing the boy. If he didn’t know better, he would say the boy was once again on Tatooine. Why? Unless…the smuggler, was his son attempting to rescue him? If he was away from the fleet, he would be easier to capture…but did he want to? He had regrets over their last meeting, he would never forgive himself for mutilating the boy. As much as he would prefer to have him at his side, that would mean having to bring him before the Emperor eventually. Did he want to do that?

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Rex watched the distinctive ship land behind Jabba’s Palace and then the ramp lowered to reveal a man in full armour and a floating slab. He knew the cut of that armour as well as he knew his own name. It was Fett alright. Luke had known a general layout of the Palace from word on the street but having an actual map would have come in handy, unfortunately there was no such thing. He slipped away and got on the speeder bike, heading back to the hut where he found Luke practising with a humming green blade. He watched him for a while, smiling at the sight he had seen a thousand times over the years. It hurt still, he would always miss her, and he hated that she hadn’t even received a pyre. He should have been with her and he hadn’t been, and she had died ensuring the others made it safely out. She would have known what to do with a half trained Jetii and a Palace full of bounty hunters.

Luke turned, sensing Rex’s return and smiled at the older man even as he hooked his saber to his belt. It felt good to be armed again, he’d been carrying a blaster, but it wasn’t the same. “He’s here,” he stated, and Rex chuckled.

“Don’t know why I bothered watching the Palace.” They headed into the hut where every scrap of information that they had on Jabba was spread out, it wasn’t safe to remain on the planet for much longer which meant they had to move soon. “Pity you can’t mind trick a Hutt.”

“You can’t?” Luke asked, and Rex shook his head. 

“Not according to the Generals. It should work on some of those around him though.” It was a pity because that would have made their job a little easier. But they were both used to impossible odds.

TBC…

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: Not mine

Chapter 8

Rex finished with the last of the explosives and activated them all, he didn’t like this plan at all. But Luke was right, it was the best plan they had, Rex knew what carbon freezing could do to a human and he wasn’t as fast or strong as he’d once been, slowed down by a possibly unconscious smuggler his chances of getting out weren’t good. Luke on the other hand was young, fit and had the Force to aide him in dragging a man through the Palace to safety. His comm clicked, the signal, and he set off the first charges.

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Luke cloaked himself in the Force and dressed all in black he was easily overlooked as he moved through the shadows. As explosions rocked the building its occupants began to panic and try to escape. Luke’s hand hovered at his lightsaber, but he would not draw it unless there was no other choice, as soon as he did he would have the attention of every bounty hunter in there. He made it to the Throne room to find Jabba gone, stretching out his senses he could feel only distant danger, so he moved to the alcove where Han hung, feeling sick at the sight of his best friend displayed like some macabre wall ornament.

Fingers flew over the controls, beginning the thawing process and then he whirled, green blade humming to life to block several blasts even as blue eyes met the helmeted visage of Boba Fett. He felt the warmth at his back from where the carbonite was thawing but he couldn’t help Han unless Fett was no longer a threat. The bounty hunter moved, and Luke dodged, rushing in with Force aided speed, he knew better than to let the man fight at a distance and with the low ceilings he couldn’t use his jet pack either. They fought back and forth for several minutes until a green bad sank deep into an armoured chest. Luke stared at the unmoving body, feeling sorry for the man he knew shared Rex’s face and genes. But Fett had chosen to attack first when he could have left. Luke quickly moved back to where Han no lay on the floor, shivering uncontrollably even as he struggled to rise. “Easy Han, I’ve got you,” he soothed as he pulled out the jacket from his pack and eased it onto his friend.

“L….L..Luke?” Han chattered. “I can’t see.”

“Hibernation sickness,” Luke answered as he slung Han’s arm over his shoulders before wrapping his own around the taller man’s waist.

“Where are we?”

“Jabba’s Palace. Fett’s dead,” he said before Han could ask and then another explosion rocked the building.

“Luke?”

“It’s okay, that’s our distraction,” Luke got them moving and the more they walked the steadier Han’s legs became even if he was still blind.

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Rex didn’t relax until two figures appeared at the top of the Dune, one supporting the other. He moved in and gently took the man’s other side.

“Who?” Han flinched at the unfamiliar hands. Where was Leia and Chewie? Was this one of Luke’s pilots?

“A friend Han.”

“Name’s Rex, good to meet you Captain Solo,” he introduced himself even as they got Han settled in the medical birth of their ship and soon Han was asleep,  various monitors attached as well as IV’s delivering needed fluids and medication. “What next?”

“We get Han a ship and, on his way back to the Fleet, Leia needs him,” Luke answered as he watched his sleeping friend. Rex smiled sadly and left him alone, he wasn’t getting in the middle of that, it was obvious Luke and the Princess cared a great deal about each other but also the man they’d just rescued, it had the potential to be very painful for at least one of them. As for a ship, there’d be a few left back at Jabba’s after the mess they’d caused.

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When Han woke he found he was warm, and he could see a ships bulkhead above him but there was no hum from engines so planet side. He turned his head and saw a mess of blonde hair on the bunk beside him. It took a few seconds to remember Luke had come for him. “Kid?” he croaked, and Luke shot upright, blue eyes a little bloodshot from lack of sleep.

“You’re awake,” Luke grinned, utterly relieved and happy that Han was alright. “How do you feel?”

“Like I’ve been frozen. How long?”

“Fifteen days took us a while to get everything prepped once we had confirmation Fett had brought you here,” Luke explained as he helped Han sit up.

“Leia?”

“With the Fleet, so is Chewie and Calrissian,” Luke went and got him food which Han hungrily downed.

“You came alone?” Han demanded, hadn’t the kid learned that backup was good?

“No, Rex is with me. He served under my Father in the Clone Wars,” Luke explained, forcing himself to say Father without choking on the word.

“Why him?”

Luke looked away, “It’s complicated. He’s getting a ship for you, so you can get to Leia, I promised her I’d make sure you came back to her. look after her, and yourself Han.”

“That sounds like goodbye,” Han pushed himself up to his feet, but Luke wouldn’t look at him.

“It is,” Luke whispered.

“What is going on kid,” Hand reached out and grabbed Luke’s hand and then frowned but squeezed his fingers before squeezing harder, eyes widening because that was not flesh and blood under his hand. “Luke? What happened to you?”

“Vader,” Luke choked out. Han pulled him around and forced his heads up, looking into tortured blue eyes before yanking the kid into a hug and Luke stayed tense for a moment before crumpling against him.

“It’s okay Luke, it’s okay,” Han whispered, not sure what else he could do for him. Leia would know but she was systems away. It felt a little odd hugging the kid, but they had been forced into closer quarters that night on Hoth. Sometimes Luke was so serious, so much the Commander he had been forced to become that it was easy to forget just how young he was, a few years he’d been a Tatooine farm boy and then the Alliance had piled all this responsibility on his young shoulders. Add in Vader personally hunting him…how had he not broken? As if that wasn’t enough, Luke had obviously come to Cloud City for them and faced Vader. Was it just his hand he’d lost? How high up did the prosthetic go and was it the only limb? As Luke straightened Han stepped back but kept a grip on Luke’s hand, feeling up the arm, relieved when he found real human flesh not far above the wrist…it was his sword hand too. He glanced down and saw a lightsaber on his hip but….no, that wasn’t the same one, it looked new and the shape was a little different. “What happened?”

Luke took a deep breath and sank into the chair nearby. “I faced Vader and lost. I passed out after…” he rubbed his wrist. “Woke up in Fleet medical, Leia said Artoo flew me in, but I don’t know how I got back to my X-wing. I was still in surgical recovery when Leia came in with a fresh uniform along with uh, Lando. Cracken has ordered my arrest.”

“What?” Han demanded angrily.

“Suspected espionage as an imperial agent,” Luke whispered.

“No, no way. No one would ever believe you could turn on the Alliance.”

“He does,” Luke responded. “Leia and Mon Mothma are working to overturn it. They sent me out with Rogue Squadron to look for a new base and told me to run. Rex had been planning to run with me since he intercepted the message, because of my Father. Once we were away I docked with Rex’s ship and we set course for here since Fett was brining you and I needed to build a new lightsaber and I was hoping Ben had left instructions somewhere, thankfully he had.”

“I should stay with you.”

Luke shook his head. “Leia needs you Han, I promised her that I would find you and send you back to her.”

“She needs you too Luke,” Han argued. This was crazy, what was happening back there that they would ever suspect Luke of all people?

“I’m no good to anyone locked up.”

“I’ll keep him safe,” Rex said from the entry and Han froze in shock. He’d been a child during the Clone Wars, but he still knew a clone when he saw one, despite his age.

“Luke’s Father was really the Hero with no Fear?” Han asked, and Rex laughed.

“He hated that title but that was my General. If I’d known about Luke I would have been here from the start, I know several other survivors who would have gladly come here to watch over him.” Rex tossed Han a belt and blaster. “Figured you’d be feeling rather undressed without one. I got you a ship too.”

“Thanks,” Han stared at the clone who nodded in understanding, he would do whatever it took to protect Luke.

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Cracken hesitated but then hit send, it was done. There was a chance that the Council would censor him for this, but he was doing what had to be done. Skywalker had to be found and brought in for thorough questioning. The others were blinded by Jedi mystique and the legends of Generals Skywalker and Kenobi, he was not. And it was possible the Princess was compromised, there were whispers about how close she was to Skywalker and Solo. There would be nowhere the boy could hide now, his agents or the bounty hunters would find him and bring him in. Then he would have his answers.

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Luke stood on the top of the dune, watching the night sky as the light from the engines grew more and more distant until he couldn’t see them, just sense Han and then he was gone as the ship made the jump to lightspeed. Now it was just him and Rex and he didn’t know what to do next. He’d never had to make that decision. Growing up Uncle Owen made the big decisions, then High Command and the Council. He led Rogue Squadron, but he still followed orders in leading them. Now there were no orders and it was a scary thought. He could, should really, return to Master Yoda to complete his training but he wasn’t ready to face him, not yet.

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Obi-Wan had waited within the Force for Luke to join him in death or to feel the horror of another Skywalker Falling and yet neither had happened. He had been unable to appear to the boy when he faced Vader but now he tried and was shocked to find Luke sitting on a dune near his own hut, dressed in black, looking tired yet whole. And then if her were still alive he would have had a heart attack as he saw a white-haired man approaching. It had been so long, but he would know that face anywhere, a clone….but which? Not Cody, he lacked the distinct facial scar. The clone sat with Luke and he knew now, Rex… what was going on.

“Where to next Luke?” Rex asked as they sat beneath the stars.

“I don’t know,” Luke admitted softly. “There was no plan past getting a lightsaber and saving Han.”

“Do we keep fighting?”

Luke sighed and stared up at the stars and in that instant Obi-Wan knew, somehow Luke now knew the truth of his Father. “What can we do with no funding, no support…” Obi-Wan faded away, relieved to know Luke still lived and was still Light.

“There is something…” Rex trailed off, it was crazy, but Luke was looking at him curiously. “My Commander… she went to a planet called Malachor with other Rebels and she never returned. She faced Vader in a Sith temple on the planet.”

“You don’t think she’s dead?” Luke asked curiously.

“If anyone could survive it’s her, she was your Father’s Padawan and she… she was special,” he whispered the last and Luke stared at him.

“You love her,” he whispered.

Rex looked down but nodded. “I said my vows and she returned them. I hadn’t seen her in years, we got separated in the madness of the Purge, she was so young then, too young. She deserves a funeral pyre at least.”

“Then we better get going,” Luke offered a small smile and Rex nodded. They packed up and left the planet to find Ahsoka Tano.

TBC…

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: Not mine

Chapter 9

Two ships dropped out of hyperspace at the same time and Luke felt physically sick as he felt the Dark Side emanating from the planet. He looked at the screen as Artoo beeped at him. “I’m okay,” he answered as he threw up every mental shield he knew how. “Rogue Zero to Tano’s Gift,” Luke didn’t see a reason for call signs, but Rex had insisted, just in case.

“Gift here,” Rex answered promptly.

“Stay on my six and watch yourself,” Luke ordered, taking a deep breath before entering the atmosphere. His scopes were useless, just like on Dagobah and the Force was making him feel ill but he still had to open himself to it in order to hopefully land in one piece not to mention guide Rex down. How could anyone want to come to this planet? If Lady Tano had survived…what would she be like after several years on this planet? Could she have even survived? The planet felt lifeless which would mean no food unless she found something like rations. He focused further, flying between towering structures until he felt and spotted an area big enough for both ships to land, settling his X-Wing down gently before putting the ship in standby. “No Artoo, don’t do a full shutdown, we may have to get out of here fast.” Artoo whistled but kept the systems running. Luke pushed the cockpit up and yanked his helmet off before scrambling out and dropping to the ground. “Stay with the ships Artoo,” he called up before walking over to the Gift where Rex was emerging, well-armed but also carrying survival packs. Luke took one and checked the data Rex had shared that the Ghost’s crew had given him on where they had been on the planet.

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Rex looked around, this place gave him the shivers of dread, what must it feel like to a Jedi? He shouldn’t have asked Luke to come here, he wasn’t even fully trained…what if his shields couldn’t handle it?

“I’m fine Rex,” Luke commented, and Rex sighed, that let him know how well his own ability to shield his thoughts was going.

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“This way,” Luke started walking, keeping an easy pace as they made their way down the ancient street, dodging and climbing over rubble. He kept an eye on Rex as well as their route as they made their way through massive temples, he wanted to go back into orbit with a capital ship and bomb the place. They walked for what felt like days before coming to a partially destroyed temple. “This is it,” Luke whispered, still able to feel echoes of Vader here. He had his suspicions about how he had gotten back to his X-Wing on Cloud City, even if it made no sense for Vader to mutilate him and then let him go. The lingering presence here was even Darker than he had felt at Cloud City…he had attacked and possibly killed his own Padawan in this building…could he ever be freed from the Dark Side?

They made their way around the ruin, trying to find a way inside and finally Luke found an entrance that wasn’t in too bad shape, so he began levitating the larger stones out of the way while Rex shored it up.

“I think it’ll hold…no guarantees,” Rex muttered as he stepped back to look at their work.

“It’ll hold,” Luke agreed before slipping inside. The extra weight of his flight suit was rather warm, but he hadn’t taken it off in case they needed that quick exit, but he wished he could have stripped it off if there was the possibility of a fight. Luke closed his eyes and opened himself even further to the Force, ignoring the siren call of the Dark, it was like being back in Master Yoda’s cave except worse.

The deeper they went into the temple the more horrific it got which just didn’t seem possible. They came across several rooms that bore the scars of lightsaber battles which gave Rex hope they were heading in the right direction.

Luke hesitated, head turning to stare at the shadows, and Rex paused when he realised he’d stopped. Luke frowned, stretching his senses out but there was nothing there…so why had he stopped? Hand on his saber his moved into what appeared to be a smaller side corridor, lamp in his free hand held high to spread the light out as much as possible…there! He turned his hand lamp that way to reveal a boot…then a leg and another….

Rex followed Luke’s light and swayed on his feet. “Ahsoka… riduur…” he breathed, grief flooding him even as Luke cautiously moved even closer to reveal the woman was slumped against the wall, the slightly curved hilts of two lightsabers still resting against limp hands in her lap.

“How long ago did she come here?” Luke asked, puzzled. Her body looked untouched, other than some lightsaber burns that were not fatal. He put the lamp down and knelt, reaching out, hand brushing one of her sabres and then he was falling back as she exploded into motion, bright white lightsabers activating and coming at him.

“AHSOKA NO!” Rex yelled, lunging forward to get a hand around her near wrist, knowing it may be the last thing he did.

Luke finally managed to get his feet under him, his own lightsaber leaping to his hand, the green blade appearing with the familiar snap hiss, blocking the white blade.

The sound of her name, the feel of a familiar hand on her arm, his presence…the saber clashing with hers was green, not red. Ahsoka blinked, stumbling back as she shook her head. She lowered her lightsabers, feeling her legs buckle and then arms she would always know were wrapped around her, holding her up, but how could he be here?

“Ahsoka?” He questioned softly, praying to any power out there that she was alright, that she was still his Commander and not lost to this world. “Cyar'ika?”

She felt herself trembling in his arms but forced herself to twist around, blue eyes locking with brown. “Rex?”

“I’m here, I’ve got you,” he whispered, shocked when she released her grip on her lightsabers fully to curl into him. He wrapped his arms around her tighter, running a hand up and down her back, soothing.

Luke relaxed when she stopped her attack and backed off, and then watched as Rex held her and she crumpled against him. It was hard to pick out individual signatures here, but he didn’t think she was Dark. He doubted someone lost would cling to another like that and then he looked away as they kissed, feeling like he was intruding and feeling a flash of pain, wanting to be back home with his Squadron, with Leia, Han, Chewie…even Lando though he’d barely met the man, but he’d helped the others escape so that counted for a lot.

Ahsoka felt the brief flash of emotional pain in the Force and suddenly remembered she’d briefly crossed blades with someone, turning in Rex’s arms to see a ghost but…not quite. He looked so much like Skyguy except his hair was lighter and he was a lot shorter but…those eyes were the exact same shade as her old Master. She felt Rex shift to stand beside her, taking her hand and squeezing it.

“Ahsoka Tano this is Commander Luke Skywalker, Alliance, Rogue Squadron. Luke, this is Ahsoka Tano, my riduur, wife, Commander in the GAR, one-time Padawan of your Father,” Rex introduced.

Ahsoka stared at the young man, no older than Anakin when she’d been assigned to him surely. There was no way Anakin would ever have let his child go, did Vader not know? She reached out to the boy, he was trained, though not as much as his age said he should be, but he was also Light, burdened by grief yes, but still firmly in the Light Side. She had seen footage of Padme’s funeral, she had appeared to still be pregnant…someone had hidden her sons survival...but who?

“Uh…hi?” Luke offered awkwardly, his lightsaber back on his belt.

“Hello Luke,” she smiled at him. “I’m sorry if I scared you, I was using a deep healing trance, set to react if anyone touched my sabres.”

“It’s okay, being here….” He shivered slightly and she nodded. “Can we go now?”

“Please,” she agreed, and Rex moved in to support her while Luke walked ahead to be safe, lamp lighting there way and one hand on his lightsaber. Thankfully all remained quiet and they got Ahsoka aboard Rex’s ship with no problems before Luke got back in his X-Wing and they took off, Rex following Luke out and then they jumped into hyperspace, heading for a safehouse Rex knew. Ahsoka had wounds that needed treatment but none of them wanted to linger on that planet and Rex could handle the basic care once in hyperspace.

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Rex stood up and headed back to where Ahsoka was lying on the medical bunk. “Hey,” he greeted softly, and her eyes opened.

“Hey,” she responded, reaching for him and Rex moved to sit on the edge of the berth.

“I’ve missed you so much,” he admitted. “They told me you were dead, I thought we would be building you a pure, not finding you somehow alive after all this time.”

Ahsoka frowned, “What do you mean, all this time?”

“It’s been a little over five years since the mission to Malachor. Kanan is dead, Ezra and the crew of the Ghost vanished…I slipped into another Rebel cell, been serving ever since. When news of a Skywalker spread, I made my way to command to see if he was the real deal. Found him in medical recovering from losing a limb to Vader. When an arrest warrant was authorised for him, I planned to grab him and run except other members of Command stepped in and got his Squadron prepped to get him out. He wasn’t fit to fly so I came with him,” he explained the highlights and Ahsoka closed her eyes in grief at the news of Kanan’s death.

“Why did they want to arrest him?”

“Because Inquisitors and other Imperial agents keep showing up on his missions. Then he faced Vader and escaped with only a missing hand. Cracken is obsessed with the idea Luke’s an Imp spy, thankfully he doesn’t know the truth about Vader. Though…Luke does now, Vader told him during their fight.”

Ahsoka whistled high in her native tongue at that, he’d always had terrible timing but to tell his own child that while fighting him? “Sounds like I have a lot to catch up,” she was still shocked over how long it had been. That was the problem with planets like Malachor or Mortis, time didn’t always flow right.

“You’ll have time, we’re heading for a safe house. You need to heal, and Luke needs it too…he was straight out of medical and then on the run where we stopped by Tatooine to rescue his friend before finding you. I think he’s trying to ignore what happened.”

“Then we’ll help him deal with it” she promised as he got to work on the lightsaber burns.

“The good news is, there is another Jedi out there, on a swamp world, Luke was there training before he faced Vader. There’s…I’m sorry Ahsoka but General Kenobi is dead, he died saving Princess Leia and buying Luke and friends time to escape from Vader three years ago.”

She nodded, she had thought he’d died in the Purges, he must have been in hiding, watching over Luke. He would have protected Anakin’s son. “What’s he like?”

“Best pilot in the Alliance. He arrived right in time for the fight at Yavin against the Death Star and was the pilot to destroy it. Most of the fighters were wiped out trying. Rumour has it that you want to be in his Squadron because while they get the impossible mission, he always does his best to bring them all home. In some ways though he’s still so young, he was a moisture farmer before that battle and then he was the token Jedi and they made him a Commander, he’s had good people helping him adjust and learn but…you can see it in his eyes, he’s crumbling under all the pressure. In a way, Cracken did him a favour, I think he needs time away to settle.”

Ahsoka nodded, she could understand that very well. And now she had getting to know Luke to look forward to. She could even help pick up his training unless he wanted to go back to the Master…and she had a feeling it was Yoda. Was she ready to see him? Maybe. It would depend on what Luke wanted to do.

TBC….

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: Not mine

Chapter 10

Rex landed the Gift only to see Luke’s X-Wing already powered down and hidden under camouflage tarps. He shut down the ship and got up to help Ahsoka out after grabbing his pack. Luke came forward to hide the Gift, carefully levitating tarps over the larger ship before they all headed inside.

Ahsoka stopped, eyes wide as she stared at a very familiar astromech. “Artoo?” she whispered in disbelief and then dropped to her knees with a smile as he rolled over at top speed. She threw her arms around him, laughing. “It’s so good to see you.”

‘Alive! Snips alive!’ he beeped happily, rocking on his stabilisers, relieved. ‘Unlock now?’ he whistled plaintively.

“Easy Artoo,” Luke soothed, not understanding his words but his tone, that was not the usual binary that he could understand but something different.

Ahsoka was pleased by the boy’s…no Luke’s, reaction. It seemed he’d inherited Anakin’s care for droids as individuals. She just hoped he hadn’t inherited some of Skyguy’s worst traits. She focused back on Artoo….unlock. “Someone locked your memories?” she asked, and he made an affirmative noise. “Okay…give me a minute,” she whispered, it had been a long time since Anakin had made her memorise the massive codes needed to unlock Artoo. She finally rattled them off and Artoo went into a hard reboot, sitting silent for several minutes.

Luke stepped closer, resting a hand on the dome, worried about his friend. He’d been through a lot with Artoo, the little guy had saved his life more times than he could count. “What was that language he was using?”

“Something we came up with during the Clone Wars,” Rex answered softly as they waited and then the lights on Artoo began to cycle on. “Mix of Mando'a and binary.”

“Artoo?” Luke called and Artoo’s dome swivelled to face him.

‘Unlocked!’ he whistled happily and then he projected an image that had Luke falling to his knees, eyes wide as he watched.

Since joining the Alliance he had finally seen two images of his Father, so he recognised the tall young man on the balcony. He realised he had an old prosthetic arm, but he was mostly focused on the young woman holding that hand, dressed in white lace. “Is…my Mother?” he whispered, voice catching, and Rex moved to stand supportively behind him.

“Padme Naberrie, or Amidala to use her name as Queen. She was Queen of the Naboo for two terms before becoming a Senator,” Ahsoka answered. How could Luke not even know his Mother’s name or face? “Didn’t Obi-Wan tell you?”

Luke shook his head. “We only had a few hours on the flight from Tatooine to Alderaan.” She was so beautiful…he obviously had gotten her height but… “She looks a lot like Leia.” It was even more obvious in the projected video than it had been in his cave vision.

‘Twins, Senator had two babies. Jedi separated to keep safe,’ Artoo answered and Luke paled staring with wide eyes.

“Leia’s my….” He fought the urge to pass out, unable to get his emotions under control and then Ahsoka grabbed his hands, reaching out to him and he couldn’t help reaching back, needing stability.

Rex quickly retreated to the kitchen, glad it had been left stocked with the basics since his last visit. He quickly heated up some food and set it out. “Food then sleep, I doubt you slept much in your fighter,” he ordered. “Then we can go over any more life altering shocks.”

Ahsoka smiled at the gruff protectiveness but let Luke help her up and the moved to sit and eat. Sure enough, Luke was drooping, and he was soon showed to one of the rooms where he barely kicked off his boots before falling asleep, he’d removed his flight suit when he’d first arrived.

Rex showed Ahsoka to a room and then hesitated before she grabbed his arm and pulled him in. He helped her shower, taking in the still healing saber wounds before they fell into bed together, too worn out to do anything but sleep.

Artoo settled down, watching over his people. He missed Threepio but his pilot needed him more. He would not fail this pilot as he had his pilots Father. Something bad must have happened to turn his pilot into Vader but maybe he could be fixed? He had let them go at Bespin.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Rex woke early and it felt strange but wonderful to wake with a familiar body in his arms. They had spent so much time apart over the years but now she was back, and he never wanted to let her go. So much was up in the air at the moment, they were on the run from both sides of the war, where could they go? That could wait for a while, both Ahsoka and Luke needed time to rest and heal, to recover from their ordeals. Luke had begun to heal on Tatooine, but he was still haunted by Bespin and learning Vader was his Father.

Despite wanting to lie in bed with her forever he slipped out of bed and went to the kitchen, surprised to find Luke already up and talking quietly with Artoo. “Good morning,” he greeted as Luke looked up.

“Hi, I didn’t wake you did I?” Luke asked and Rex shook his head.

“I thought you’d sleep in,” Rex admitted, and Luke shrugged “Nightmares?” he asked in concern.

“I’m okay.”

Rex let it go, for now. Eventually the kid was going to have to open up to one of them, but things had been rather hectic.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Princess!” a voice called, and Leia turned to see a communications officer running after her. “A ship just dropped out of lightspeed, its sending the codes given to Captain Solo.”

Leia froze…he’d done it, Luke had done it. “Give permission to dock!” she called, rushing for the landing bay even as she commed Chewie. He arrived a minute after her, Lando on his heels and they waited even as soldiers joined them, just in case. The ship set down and shut down and she waited, silently pleading to any power out there but her instinct screamed Han was aboard. The ramp lowered and she saw familiar Corellian blood stripes, but he was walking very slowly. He came into proper view and their eyes locked and then she was running to him.

“Leia,” he choked, arms wrapped around her, holding her close. He’d never thought he’s see her again. “I love you Princess,” he whispered.

Leia clung to him just as tightly and she nearly laughed at his words, pulling back to look up at him, smiling. “I know.” That made them both laugh. “Luke…you’ve seen him?” she asked, and he nodded.

“Yeah, him and an old soldier. They got me out and took out a good chunk of Jabba’s forces too. Wouldn’t tell me where they were going next but got me the ship. Leia what’s going on?” he gently stroked her braids.

“It’s Cracken, he’s after Luke and won’t listen to reason,” she answered. “He came after us Han, on Bespin, he faced Vader and that monster…”

“Luke told me, noticed his hand,” Han admitted. “I can’t believe he wants to arrest Luke…has he lost the plot?”

Leia snorted, “Maybe.” She leant against him and Han leant down to kiss her, relaxing when she kissed back. He knew she cared deeply for Luke and he hadn’t been sure if she’d said what she had due to the circumstances. They parted and she smiled before stepping back, letting Chewie and Lando approach. “Lando is the one that got us out,” she whispered to him and Han nodded, laughing as he was swallowed up by a Wookie hug.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Ahsoka watched as Luke and Artoo worked on his X-Wing. He’d been quiet since they had arrived, and she didn’t know if that was normal or not for him. She felt good, her wounds healing well, so it was time to see how he was doing. “Luke!” She called and he turned to look at her, waving with a hydrospanner. She raised her sabers with a grin. “Come on kid, let’s see how well you can use that,” she nodded at his saber on his hip.

Luke hesitated, he’d never just spared with anyone, and his last fight…but he needed training. He took a deep breath and dropped off his X-Wing. “Okay, here?”

“Here,” she agreed, igniting her blades, watching as he took a deep breath before drawing his own green blade. His stance was good, solid but not inflexible. She started off slowly, wanting to get a feel for what he knew.

Ten minutes later Luke was sitting, breathing heavily. He’d thought fighting his Father had been hard, she was faster and had two blades! He heard her chuckle and then a bottle was tossed his way and he caught it, drinking deeply.

“Not bad, you’ve got a lot of natural talent,” she praised. “Exactly how much saber training have you had?”

“Blindfolded against a remote for a few hours, then running through exercises.”

“That’s it?” She asked in shock and he nodded. “Amazing, well, we’ll work on that,” she promised, how had he survived Vader? He must not have been trying to kill Luke but capture him.

Luke nodded, pleased he would receive training in saber work. Master Yoda was simply too old anymore to spar. “Thank you.”

Ahsoka smiled at him and reached out to ruffle his hair. “Considered a cut?”

Luke sighed. “Haven’t had time or access to someone who can. I know it’s a mop, it’s always grown fast. I need it shorter or it drives me nuts under my helmet.”

“Hey Rex!” Ahsoka called only for Rex to toss her what she needed, making her chuckle. Luke moved to sit cross-legged in front of her. “How short?” she asked.

“Shorter?” he offered and then Artoo was there, showing a recording of him a month before Hoth that had been taken with the squadron as they teased him over something.

Ahsoka smiled as she watched the recording of the kid with a group of men, obviously his squadron as they teased him playfully and he laughed along. He was close to his men in a way Anakin had never fully managed. He would have died for them and vice versa but other than with Rex and maybe Fives, she had never seen that level of comradery. “Okay, I can do that,” she went to work on his hair and soon it was much shorter although nowhere near as short as a military cut or the standard human male Padawan cut. “All done.”

“Thanks.” Luke ran a hand through it, it felt a lot better.

“Well now that you’ve rested let’s see what else you know.” She stood up and he followed her.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Vader frowned even though it pulled at the scars, something had changed but he wasn’t sure what. He could still feel his son, though he had almost vanished briefly which had been strange. He stared out at the stars as the Executor travelled to their next mission. It was hard, to not think of his son, to wonder where he was. How was he adapting to the use of a prosthetic? Had the Rebellion managed to get him a proper one?

What he wanted was to have Luke at his side, to proclaim to the Universe that he was his son. He knew he couldn’t, forget endangering him while he was with the Rebellion, he had too many enemies who would see Luke as an easy target. He would not turn Luke over to his Master, but he also knew Luke was his only hope of ever defeating his Master.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Cracken glared at Captain Solo who just stared back at him, slouching in his chair. He didn’t like working with his kind, smugglers and the like who would not commit to their cause. He supposed it meant something that the man had remained, despite his debt to the Hutt, and then once freed he had returned. He wanted to properly interview Solo but the Princess and Rieekan had stepped in. “What happened?”

“I came out of carbon freeze blind, but I could hear and feel explosions. Then Luke was there, helping me up and out of Jabba’s Palace. We met up with another soldier and they got me to safety. Woke up on a bunk on a ship, planetside with Luke waiting on me. He told me you’d put out a warrant for his arrest, I told him surely you weren’t that much of an idiot. They got me a ship and once I was recovered I came back cause Luke promised Leia he’d get me back to her. Anything else?” Han asked and Leia hid a laugh.

“An idiot? Captain Solo there are a lot of questions Commander Skywalker needs to answer.”

“And yet, you’re the only one who thinks that. I may prefer a blaster to a lightsaber but even I know the kid needs further training. He went and got it when given the chance. Who was he meant to tell? The evacuation was a mess. You’ve had it in for him from the start.”

Rieekan remained silent, letting Solo deal with Cracken in his own way and he was doing a good job. Solo may be unconventional, but he was a lot smarter and more savvy than many gave him credit for due to his occupation. In the end Cracken ended the interview and walked off.

“What is going on?” Solo growled, looking at him.

“You were right, he has had it in for Commander Skywalker. We just can’t work out why,” he admitted. “We’re working on making it safe for the Commander to return but it isn’t yet. He’s gotten a few of the others in Command to at least question Skywalker’s loyalty. No one involved in the fighter squadrons believes a word of it, Rogue Squadron’s nearly rioted a few times by Captain Antilles is keeping them under control.”

“Great.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Luke! Ahsoka!” Rex called as he returned, and they ran out.

“What is it?” She demanded and he tossed he datapad he’d downloaded the information into.

Luke stared in shock. Ever since shortly after Yavin, he’d had too bounties on him, one as the nameless rebel who had blown the Death Star, and one for Luke Skywalker. Now he had a third, for Luke Skywalker again. Who could have posted this one? It wasn’t as big as the imperial bounties on him, but it wasn’t small either. “Cracken wouldn’t…would he?”

Ahsoka looked at Rex who grimaced, at the moment he was the likely suspect.

TBC…

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: not mine

Chapter 11

“I knew,” Luke whispered as they sat watching the stars and Ahsoka looked over at him.

“Luke?”

“Before Bespin, I knew…that Vader is my Father.”

She felt Rex stiffen beside her, saw that Luke was hunched in on himself a bit so she reached out to gently grasp his shoulder. He shivered slightly and she slowly drew him in so that he was resting between her and Rex. “How?” she asked gently.

“There’s this cave…on Dagobah,” he swallowed but then slowly explained about what he’d seen…and then what he and Vader had spoken of before their fight.

Ahsoka was shocked that they’d held a civil conversation, then again if it was possible with anyone, it would be with his son. To have seen his Father’s fall though…no wonder he was rather withdrawn, well that and being hunted by his own people.

“Did he let you go at Bespin?” Rex asked and Luke shrugged slightly.

“I don’t know. I don’t remember how I got to my ship. I was hanging on to some equipment and he was asking me to take his hand, I blacked out, woke up in medical.”

They exchanged a look over his head, had Vader really sent him back to the Alliance? Why? It didn’t make any sense. Did some part of the man he’d once been still exist within the monster? Enough to spare her son?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Vader stared at the screen in shock. A new bounty had been placed on his son, alive thankfully. The amount was higher than the one that had originally been posted for the unknown pilot who destroyed the Death Star, but was not as high as the one he himself had offered for his son. The biggest shock was who was offering the bounty, why would a member of Alliance High Command place a bounty on one of their own? He closed his eyes and reached for his sense of his son. He felt some mild distress, and once again, nowhere near where intelligence believed the Rebel fleet to be. Had he been forced to flee? He was becoming very concerned for his welfare if the Rebels had turned on him. there was something…

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Ahsoka jolted awake, disorientated for a second before she was up and running for Luke’s room, leaving a confused Rex in their bed. She opened the door to find Luke sleeping but obviously locked in a nightmare and she sat on the edge of his bed, reaching out physically and with the Force to wake him quickly. His distress was radiating out through the Force and it wasn’t just her who could sense it. She could feel the dark presence reaching out to Luke and clamped down on her own shields as she felt it reach towards her. The last thing they needed was Vader realising she was alive and with Luke.

Blue eyes snapped open even as Luke recoiled away from her, his breathing much too fast.

“Easy Luke,” she soothed, and he focused on her, slowly relaxing.

“Ahsoka,” he croaked, and she looked up as Rex entered with a glass, taking it to help Luke drink the water.

“That was some nightmare,” she offered, and he nodded, hands shaking slightly. “We need to work on your shielding when asleep.”

He looked at her again eyes wide in horror as he realised what she meant, immediately working to reinforce them. “Did he find us?”

“He may have a general idea, but it wasn’t long enough for him to get an exact location,” she promised as Rex retreated to let them talk.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Han wrapped an arm around Leia’s waist as she leant against his shoulder, eyes closed, his other hand running over her hair. “Luke will be fine, he’s a smart kid and he’s got a new lightsabre, plus Rex,” he tried to reassure her.

“He shouldn’t have to run, this is meant to be his home,” she whispered.

“I know,” he kissed the top of her head. “You love him, don’t you?”

“I…” she moved away to look out at the stars. “I don’t know,” she finally admitted. “I love you Han.”

“You love the kid as well,” he shrugged. Luke would be better for her than him, the kid was a hero and once they got Cracken under control he’d be back to being the hero. Much better a match than a smuggler for a Princess.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Luke finished packing his gear as R2 ran the pre-flight checks. While Ahsoka was sure Vader hadn’t gotten a lock on their location it was still safer to move on to another safehouse. With all the bounty hunters and various intelligence agents out there it wasn’t safe to stay too long in one place anyway. He’d miss the little house, he’d learnt a lot in the time they’d stayed there, but better to move on and stay ahead of those hunting him. He did wonder what Cracken would say if Ahsoka showed up, she had been Fulcrum, one of the founding agents of the Alliance, an actual Jedi, it would be a lot harder for the man to do anything against her and maybe she could work out why he was so against Luke, but she had declined to seek them out, preferring to remain with them and train him. he was learning a lot from her, and not just better sabre techniques either.

“Ready to go?” Rex called from the Gift’s ramp and Luke waved, grabbing the handholds to scramble up the side of his fighter.

He dropped into the cockpit and settled his helmet as it lowered and sealed. “Ready R2?” his mechanical friend whistled affirmative, so Luke began the launch sequence, heading into orbit. Once there he waited for the Gift to join him before activating his hyperdrive. Once safely away he settled in to meditate for the journey, almost wishing he was on board with them where he could stretch his legs, but they might need the speed and manoeuvrability of his fighter at some point. Then again, he may have to abandon her as well, X-Wings were only used by the Alliance after all and were very distinctive. As he settled in, he felt a brief surge of Dark presence and knew it was Vader, searching for him and yet…something seemed different. Then it was gone as the distance became too great.

TBC…

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: Not mine

Chapter 12

 Vader read the report, concerned, proud and confused by what he could work out from it. A small team had attacked a supply base. He had seen enough reports when his son was involved in ground manoeuvres, Luke had definitely been one of those attacking. He studied the images of the damage, he had obviously constructed a new lightsaber but there was something off with sections of the damage…double…they were made by multiple sabers, a dual wielder.

His mind immediately went to the two he had known, neither was a possibility. Ventress was dead and had been so for years. The other…he felt a frown pull at the scars on his face. was it possible she had survived the collapse? They had parted ways to escape the collapsing Temple, he had lost all sense of her before he ever left the planet, had assumed she was dead. It was more likely Ventress had survived than her. The idea of his son working with Dooku’s assassin was not one he liked, even though she had changed, without her help Skywalker’s Padawan would have died as a traitor.

There were signs of blaster fire mixed in with the saber damage, so there was at least one non-Force user in the group. It was becoming very obvious his son had been forced to leave the Alliance. He was nowhere near where the fleet was rumoured to be, his own people had a bounty out on him, and now he was working with another Force user plus an unknown sized team. That would make him harder to find, a small team could move a lot faster and would leave less of a trail. Despite his misgivings, he kept up the search, his Master expected it.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Luke activated his comm system, entering a familiar frequency and waiting with bated breath.

“Organa,” her voice was a welcomed sound in the cramped confines of the cockpit.

“Bad timing?” he asked and there was dead silence before he heard a shaky breath.

“Luke?”

“it’s me,” he promised. “Just dropped out of hyperspace for a course change,” he explained, it meant the transmission wouldn’t be traced to his destination. “Did Han make it back?”

“He did, thank you. How are you?”

“I’m alright,” he promised. “I miss you all, R2 misses Threepio.”

That got a laugh from her. “We all miss you both as well. You’re keeping safe?”

“As we can,” he promised, if she didn’t know about the raids, he wasn’t going to enlighten her. “We added someone, an old friend of Rex’s. You may know them, Fulcrum.”

“Fulcrum’s alive?” She demanded in shock. “She was reported KIA years ago.”

“Yeah, we found her.”

,,,,,,,,,,

“Good, that’s wonderful,” Leia smiled at knowing one of the founding members of the Alliance was with them. She remembered Fulcrum; she had often come to visit her Father when Leia was a child.

It was so good to finally hear Luke’s voice again. She’d known he was okay when he rescued Han but there had been no news since he had returned. In some ways, no news was good news, it meant he hadn’t been tracked down and captured or killed. But the silence left the imagination to run wild.

“Did Han make it back?”

“Yes, he’s here and having fun giving Cracken a horrible time. Thanks to that Rogue Squadron is spending more time with him.” She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not, but it got a laugh out of Luke.

“Did you know there’s an Alliance bounty on me?” he asked, laughter dying, and she gasped.

“What?” Who would dare….Cracken! She was going to shoot him herself!

“Calm down Leia,” Luke soothed, and she blinked.

“Are you reading me from this distance?”

“I know you,” he answered. “I need to keep moving. Stay safe,” he pleaded, and she smiled sadly.

“As much as we can. We’re working on things; this bounty may be enough to have him removed from his position. Call when you can.”

“I will,” with that he was gone, and she stood to find Han, they needed to look at this bounty and then go to Mon Mothma.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Rex watched as Ahsoka coached Luke through a lesson. It hurt, to see his General’s son so far behind where he should be in his training, but not just that either. His general education was severely lacking in places, though it was obvious he’d been working to catch up. That was what growing up on a planet like Tatooine was like though, too much time was needed just to survive so schooling was ignored. It hurt, thinking of Luke growing up like that when he should have grown up in the lush grandeur of Naboo or even the serenity of the Temple, with a proper education and training. He understood why General Kenobi had taken him to Tatooine, he had family there and Vader would never go near it, but it had left him far behind others. 

It was easy to see that he had his Father’s raw talent and something close to his power levels, maybe a little less, maybe even a little more, not like Rex could tell such things. Thankfully, he seemed to lack his Father’s anger and bouts of jealousy. He didn’t doubt the kid had a temper, the Senator had had one of her own after all, but it seemed it would take a lot to set it off, that he had better control.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Luke ducked around a corner, keeping his head down, while mentally going through a list of every Huttese word Aunt Beru had banned from the house when he was a kid. The Empire didn’t keep much of a presence on Felucia, a reason they had chosen to stop there, despite it being a key planet along the Perlemian Trade Route. So why was the place crawling with Stormtroopers? There had been a massive Imperial presence at the beginning of the Empire but that had been pulled back when he was still a little kid.

Thankfully, his X-Wing was safely back on  D'Qar and he’d come along on the Gift for this trip. The abandoned buildings on the planet made it a handy base and a good place to stash such an obviously Rebel ship. Of course, doing so meant that if the group got separated they all had to find their way back to the Gift, like now.

Luke lifted his comm and tried to contact the others but found the frequency jammed. Did that mean they knew they were there? Or was it coincidence? The growing dread said either way, they were in trouble. He began making his way back to the port as quickly as he could while keeping out of sight as much as possible. Any images of him were in uniform, not civilian gear but he was regretting getting Ahsoka to cut his hair, letting it grow a bit longer would have helped him look different.

He was relieved to spot Rex lounging against a wall, sharp eyes scanning those passing by. And there was Ahsoka, hood up to hide her rather unique appearance. Togruta were a rare sight and one that would draw attention. Luke nodded at Rex when the older man saw him and then frowned as he spotted the squad of troopers headed right for Ahsoka. He felt the spike of alarm from Rex as the man looked past him and Luke stretched out with the Force, sensing another squad moving in behind him. He slipped his hand into his jacket, fingers wrapping around his lightsaber. He met Ahsoka’s startled look and offered a shaky smile before he turned and lunged at those approaching, green blade appearing with the familiar snap-hiss. He had an alive bounty, they didn’t. ‘Run!’ he sent to them both through the Force as he cut down three stormtroopers before they even knew what was happening.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Ahsoka watched in horror as Luke attacked, knowing what he was doing. He was further away, he had a bounty for being captured alive…he was sacrificing himself to let them escape, just like Skyguy would have. She hesitated torn, if Luke were to fall into the Emperor’s hands….or even Vader’s… she saw Rex hesitate, reaching for his blasters but more and more stormtroopers were coming.

‘GO!’ Luke’s mental voice screamed at her, pushing at them and she found herself stumbling towards Rex a few steps in reaction.

She met Rex’s startled eyes and swallowed hard before running to him and pulling him into the docking bay where the Gift lay. They weren’t leaving him behind, they would never abandon him, but these odds were too much even for them. If Luke were to be slated for execution, the whole Galaxy would be informed, what better way to take away the Rebellions hope than to kill their hero? And she doubted that was the Emperor’s plan for him, she knew it wasn’t Vader’s. As long as he was alive, they could rescue him or he could escape, they would do no one any good dead.

“Ahsoka,” Rex looked back one last time as she shoved him aboard, hearing R2 whistle in confusion.

“Get the engines online!” She called to the astromech. “We’re not leaving him,” she told Rex as they rushed to the cockpit and she dropped into the pilots seat. She ignored the calls for her to cut engines and instead took off as soon as she could.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Luke saw the Gift take off even as he blocked several blaster bolts. He’d done it, he’d bought them the time to get away. He ducked down an alley and ran at full, Force enhanced, speed, trying to find some place to hide until they could come back for him. He knew they wouldn’t dream of abandoning him to the Empire, so he just had to stay free until they could come back. He gave himself fully to the Force, trusting in it as he made his way through the trading port. He could feel the Stormtroopers and locals alike and he slowed down his mad run as he realised the truth, there was nowhere to hide.

“There he is!”

Luke looked around and smiled sadly. “Sorry guys,” he whispered before powering his weapon down and dropping it before raising his hands in surrender. “Commander Luke Skywalker, Rebel Alliance,” he announced as calmly as he could. Of course, there was the possibility no one would recognise his name and the fact he was wanted alive by Vader himself. He heard blasters readying to fire, even if he called his lightsaber back to hand there was no way he could block that many shots.

“HOLD FIRE!” a voice called and to Luke’s relief they did. An officer approached, dressed in the black and white of Imperial Intelligence and Luke felt his relief vanish. According to his Rank insignia plaques, the young man, not much older than Luke himself, was a lieutenant. So Luke was both younger and outranked him, hopefully the man wasn’t vain about such things. “Binders,” he ordered, and two troopers moved in to secure Luke’s hands behind his back. “So, this is the Rebel Lord Vader is so interested,” he raked a look over Luke, taking in his civilian clothing. “Spying? You may soon regret surrendering once he is informed. Take him away, I will inform Lord Vader myself.” He scooped Luke’s lightsaber up and then Luke was being marched away to a nearby shuttle, lowering the chances of rescue…for anyone other than a Jedi. Ahsoka could still track him but if they entered hyperspace?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“No…” Rex choked as they watched several ships enter hyperspace. “Was he?”

“He’s on one of them,” Ahsoka confirmed grimly even as she and R2 went to work trying to track the most likely destinations of the ships.

“Should we contact someone in the Alliance?” they couldn’t track all the possible courses themselves.

Ahsoka hesitated, torn. It was strange, but she sensed no danger towards Luke. If anything, it felt like the opposite. She assumed that meant he was being taken somewhere he could escape from but where? And if something changed and he was in danger then he would need help. “Artoo, you have the Princess’ codes?” she asked, and he quickly entered them for her.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Luke leant back in the seat, ignoring the guards, meditating rather than trying to sleep. He had bought them the time needed to escape, now he would just need to manage his own and for that he needed a clear mind and rested body. He could feel the lieutenants glee at the thought of the reward for his capture which meant they were taking him to Vader or somewhere the Sith Lord would retrieve him from.

He wasn’t scared about facing him again, his time with Rex and Ahsoka had helped him work through the wounds of Bespin and everything he had learnt of his parents. They had both had so many stories to share, Artoo did too once unlocked, and he knew the man he had faced at Bespin had not been Anakin Skywalker…but he hadn’t been the monster she had faced on Malachor either. Was there a chance he could come back from the Darkness? How could he help him while ensuring he didn’t Fall as well?

As he meditated he took the memories of Leia and who she was and buried them as deep as he could. He would not betray his sister to Vader or the Emperor. Should anything happen to him, Ahsoka and Rex knew who she was now, they could watch over her as well, train her. It did explain why they were drawn to each other, though also made things awkward, between the kiss on Hoth and the way they had felt about each other and then Han thrown in…. at least he had plenty of time to push his feelings firmly into sibling before he would see her again.

He felt a spike of surprise and something else, emotions he usually ignored since he knew where they were coming from. Ever since Bespin there had been a link in the back of his mind, one he had done his best to bury and ignore, especially when the one on the other end tried to contact him. Vader knew of his capture then, though why the mixed emotions over it? Or was it something else? He forced himself not to reach back out of curiosity. He would know soon enough what his Father thought of his capture.

TBC…

A lot of people are going to be very unhappy with Luke sacrificing himself so they could get away.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: not mine

Chapter 13

Vader looked down as Piett approached. “What is it Admiral?”

“A message for you from Imperial Intelligence,” Piett answered, holding it out.

Vader took it and read the coded message, feeling surprise and…unease. An operative on Felucia had supposedly captured Luke Skywalker, although his companions had made their escape. The image included proved it was his son, dressed as a civilian, a slight bruise beginning to darken on one cheek. “Where was the message sent from?”

“The Intelligence outpost on Roche, Sir.”

“Set course at once,” Vader ordered and Piett nodded. He could sense the Admiral’s confusion but the man remained quiet. Piett was an efficient officer but he could also think creatively, something many officers lacked. The men respected him much more than they ever had his predecessor.

He stared out as the star elongated into streaks of light as the Executor went to lightspeed before turning and leaving the bridge.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Luke sat quietly in the cell, glad that someone had ordered his hands to be rebound in front of him. Not that he couldn’t have done it himself, the binders were easy enough to manipulate with the Force, but he didn’t want to spook the soldiers. His cheek was aching from where he’d taken a corner too sharply and taken a glancing hit from something hanging in a doorway.

He didn’t know where he was, except that it was planet side. He could make some educated guesses base of how long the journey had been and maybe he could have used the Force to work it out but what was the point? He could feel Ahsoka very weakly but it wasn’t enough for her to track him, just get a general idea of the area so any rescue would be difficult. The feeling of Vader was growing stronger though which meant he was coming. Luke wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

He closed his eyes and leant back against the wall, meditating. Attempting an escape would basically be suicide without his lightsabre, he’d seen the soldiers lining the corridors and he couldn’t Force trick that many. He felt something and opened his eyes to find Obi-Wan standing before him.

“Luke,” the old Jedi greeted and he managed a small smile.

“Ben.”

“You must escape Luke.”

“I’m open to suggestions on how considering the numbers out there. While they probably have their blasters on stun since I’m Vader’s bounty, there’s too many for me to dodge,” he shrugged and then stared at his first teacher. “Why didn’t you tell me the truth?”

“When your Father Fell, he ceased being Anakin Skywalker and became Darth Vader. What I told you was true, from a certain point of view.”

Luke shook his head. “At least Ahsoka tells the truth, without that.” So that was what a Force ghost looked like when shocked.

“Ahsoka Tano?” Ben asked and he nodded. “I knew you were with her Captain, but where did you find her?” he asked but then vanished as the door opened.

Luke looked over to see a man younger than himself, wearing the insignia of a Lieutenant Junior Grade, an ensign and three stormtroopers with him. The lieutenant sneered at him and Luke felt a flash of concern.

“So this is the rebel and Jedi collaborator.” He stepped closer and Luke stood up, bracing himself. He turned his head with the blow to minimise the damage, biting back a wince as the already forming bruise from earlier flared with new pain.

“Lord Vader won’t be happy with damaged goods,” he offered quietly. His words had the troopers shifting nervously, the ensign looking between Luke and the other officer.

“Like Lord Vader has any real interest in you beyond dragging information out of you rebel scum.”

Another blow came, this one to his abdomen. Luke coughed, bent over slightly to protect the area. He reached for the Force, letting it sooth the pain, reaching for the others in the room. “You don’t want to do this; you know what Lord Vader does to those who displease him.” Using his Father’s anger as a threat wasn’t something he liked doing, but it was something an imperial would understand and be wary of.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Ahsoka frowned as they dropped out of hyperspace, adjusting their course towards where she could sense Luke. She felt. Flash of pain from him and felt her concern grow, were they interrogating him?

“What is it?” Rex asked from the seat beside her.

“Luke’s in physical pain.”

“Is Vader there?” he asked in alarm and she focused before shaking her head.

“No…but he’s closer than we are and getting closer.”

“Who would dare touch Luke without Vader there?”

“I don’t know,” Ahsoka pulled back the lever, sending them back to lightspeed. There were four systems along their current course, Luke could be in any of them so the odds were very much against them beating Vader there.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Luke slumped back on the bench as they left his cell, grimacing at the feeling of a split lip. It had taken some work but he had managed to convince them to leave and take an irate lieutenant with them. He had the feeling the younger man had lost loved ones to the Alliance and that was why he was so angry with Luke; it hadn’t been personal. He hadn’t heard their names so even if asked he wouldn’t be able to say who had hit him. That likely wouldn’t spare them, unless one of them thought to check the surveillance and erase the recordings.

“I’m so sorry Luke,” Ben whispered and Luke looked up at him.

“Doesn’t hurt as much as when you came to me on Hoth,” he assured him. “He’s coming for me.” Ben nodded and Luke sighed. “So’s Ahsoka and Rex. Guess it’s a race to see who arrives first.”

“I cannot help you with Vader.”

“I know, I’ll be okay.” He’d find a way to escape somehow or…was it possible he could help save his Father? He blinked as ghostly fingers brushed his cheek, feeling some of the pain fade as the Force surged. “Thanks,” he whispered sleepily. He was exhausted. Ben smiled sadly, fading away and Luke settled to rest while he could.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Vader frowned slightly as he felt something in his bond with Luke…pain, why was his son suddenly in pain? “Admiral Piett.”

“Yes my Lord?”

“Contact the base on Roche immediately. Ensure they understand the prisoner is to be uninjured when we arrive.

“At once,” he moved to the communications pit to ensure the message was sent.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Luke woke as the door opened and this time it was a Commander who entered only to blanch when he saw Luke as he sat up. The Commander turned and barked orders at those outside even as he moved further inside. “How badly are you injured?”

“I’ve had worse,” Luke answered.

“I have sent for a medic,” the Commander offered.

“Lord Vader contacted you, didn’t he?” Luke sighed. “I’ll make sure he knows this wasn’t your doing.”

“You think the word of a Rebel will hold any sway?” the man asked in disbelief and Luke shrugged slightly. The door opened again to reveal a medic. “Do we need to move him to medical? Lord Vader has commanded he be uninjured when he arrives.”

The medic set his kit on the bench beside Luke and glanced at him warily.

“I don’t bite,” he promised. “I managed to move with most of the blows.”

“How many times were you struck?” the medic asked.

“Three hits to the abdomen, one to the upper chest, four to the face.”

The medic grimaced and turned to the Commander. “It would be best to move him to the infirmary where we can get him lying down for a full examination.”

“Very well.” He motioned for Luke to stand and he did so slowly.

The medic watched and frowned. “I’ll have a stretcher brought.” He ducked out and Luke sat again.

“Commander Luke Skywalker,” The Commander said and Luke looked up at him. “The name Skywalker was well known when I was a child.”

“Anakin Skywalker,” Luke murmured and the man nodded. “My Father.”

“I see,” he nodded and Luke sensed a swell of pity from him. He knew why, he’d seen reports on what happened in the early days of the Empire when Vader was sent after a Jedi.

The medic returned with two troopers holding a stretcher. Luke was helped onto it and then closed his eyes and relaxed for the ride to keep from watching everything sway slightly. “On the bed,” the medic stated when the movement stopped and Luke opened his eyes to find they were in the infirmary.

He carefully got up and then sighed at the height of the bed, hearing some snorts of amusement. It wasn’t his fault he was shorter than human average. His Aunt and Uncle had done their best but moisture farming on Tatooine was a hard life, most of his friends had been shorter. He got onto the bed and then his shirt was removed before he laid back. The medic hesitated due to the binders and glanced over at the Commander who stared at Luke.

“Your word as an Officer you will not attempt to escape or harm anyone,” he offered and Luke nodded.

“I won’t try anything,” he swore so the man stepped forward and unlocked them.

Luke slowly moved his hands, rubbing at his flesh and blood wrist to ease the ache.

The medic checked his wrists and nodded. “Good, you didn’t try and fight the binders. Keep flexing your fingers to help the blood flow,” he ordered and Luke nodded.

He lay still on the bed as he was examined, only moving when asked too. He could feel the nervousness of the medical staff and while he didn’t blame them since he was an enemy officer, it wasn’t exactly comfortable.

“You have a prosthetic hand,” a different medic stared in surprise and Luke nodded.

“How old is the injury?”

“A few months,” Luke answered.

“Have the binders caused any problems?”

“No, most of the time I forget it’s prosthetic,” he admitted. Bacta patches were placed over the worst of his injuries and then he was given some pain relief which was nice. He was also given a few shots and he frowned in confusion.

“You were carrying some microbials, while not enough to make you ill at the moment it is better to treat them now. It appears you have been to some interesting planets,” the sole woman told him and Luke grimaced.

“You could say that.”

“No bones were cracked so you will heal quickly. Some of the bruising is deep so you should limit how much you move for the next few days and preferably remain reclining since your ribs are bruised.” The first medic told him and then glanced at the Commander.

“Prepare a full report for Lord Vader. If the bed is not needed I will leave guards here, that way he can be monitored.”

“Yes sir.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Luke jolted awake; eyes wide as he stare up towards space.

“Luke,”the voice whispered to him through the Force.

He knew what that meant, the Executor had arrived and Vader was coming for him. The door opened and the Commander entered. “I know, Lord Vader has arrived.” He sat up slowly, his ribs feeling a lot better.

“His shuttle will land in fifteen minutes,” the man stared at him in confusion before his eyes widened slightly. If he remembered Anakin Skywalker then he had to know something of the Jedi. “A report on your condition was sent to him as soon as it was compiled. We have not caught those who attacked you as they disabled the surveillance.”

“If he wants them found, he’ll find them.”

“Agreed. You should use the fresher if you need to.” The Commander almost smiled. “You have been the most well-behaved prisoner I think we have ever had. Are you sure you’re a Rebel?” Luke could feel his suspicion over his status, he had to be wondering if Luke was undercover or something.

“Positive,” he got up as the Commander left and stretched gently before heading for the fresher, using it to clean up, thankful it had a sonic shower. When he re-emerged he sat back down to wait, using the Force to track his Father as he moved through the base. He felt him outside the door and took a deep breath as the door opened again and Darth Vader entered.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Ahsoka brought them out of hyperspace and closed her eyes.

“Ahsoka?”

“We’re too late, Vader’s reached him.” Which meant there was nothing they could do. She’d seen images of his flagship, even a normal star destroyer could easily destroy the Gift.

“What do we do now?” Rex asked, resting a hand on Artoo’s dome as he warbled sadly.

“I think I need to contact Mon Mothma, let her know I’m back and that Luke has been captured. They may need to change some codes and bases, just to be safe.” She knew the only way that information would be given up was via severe torture…or if he Fell. She wanted to believe it couldn’t happen, but she never would have that Skyguy could fall when she’d been younger.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

His sense of his son exploded as they came out of lightspeed. He felt steadier even than Bespin, calm despite what was happening. He could feel Luke wake up, sensing him in return and he sent a gentle call to him even as he headed for his shuttle. He would retrieve his son personally. Then he would decide what should happen to those within the base due to the attack on him while in custody.  He could feel Luke tracking him as he flew down and then landed, feeling a flicker of nervousness coming from the bright presence.

The base Commander was waiting for him and saluted crisply. “Welcome Lord Vader, the prisoner is waiting in the infirmary.”

“The attackers?”

“Disabled the security systems, we are searching for them.”

“I want them found.”

“Yes sir.”

They came to the infirmary and he dismissed them all before opening the door and stepping inside to find Luke sitting on the bed, legs over the edge. Seeing the healing bruises he felt his rage surge and Luke got off the bed, approaching slowly.

“Father,” he called softly and then a hand was resting on his gloved lower arm. “I’m alright, just achy.”

“They should not have touched you,” he forced the words out levelly.

“I know, but the whole base is not to blame, the Commander and the medics have been very good to me.”

Trust her son to try and soften his anger. “He should have control of his men.”

“Father please.”

“If you identify your attackers from the personnel files.”

“I can for two, the others were in full armour. And it was only the lieutenant who actually hit me.”

“Very well,” he could give his son this. Perhaps he would be willing give in other areas too if Vader could keep himself from dictating what he should do. “Can I trust you unbound?”

Luke chuckled at that. “Where would I go? One unarmed man against an entire base? If I was going to risk that I would have done it before you arrived.”

He had a point. Vader stepped back and motioned Luke forward, walking behind his son, a hand resting against his lower back to steer him, his cloak hiding the action. He could feel the eyes on them, feel the confusion amongst those observing but he kept walking. He hesitated but allowed Luke to take the co-pilots seat, getting a small smile for it. “You are a Skywalker; it would be foolish to keep you from seeing the stars.”

“Thank you,” Luke settled into the seat and he could feel the ache from his bruised ribs as he did.

“I do not wish to confine you to the brig but I will not risk you attempting to escape.”

“Can I at least have a window?”

“I have prepared the stateroom next to mine for your use,” he answered, feeling Luke’s surprise. “The doors will be locked until I can trust you will not attempt anything foolish. The ships quartermaster shall supply clothing for you as well.”

“Thank you,” Luke told him and he knew his son did not like the idea of being locked in, but a stateroom was much larger than a cell and he would have the freedom to move around it and use the facilities as he wished.

They docked with the ship and he guided Luke out of the shuttle, feeling his surprise and curiosity at the size of the hanger. It seemed his son’s love of ships went beyond just personal fighters. They walked quietly through the ship, getting looks from those they passed, whispers spreading behind them, but they both ignored them. Finally, they came to the correct level and he opened a door, allowing Luke to enter. “Meals shall be delivered three times a day from the Officer’s mess. You will find the food a vast improvement to the slop the Alliance serves.”

“Thank you,” Luke offered as he looked around.

“The computer is locked but there are some educational and recreational files on it for your use,” he felt Luke’s relief at his words. He did not want to drive his son crazy in boredom.

“What happens next?”

“That is up to you,” Vader answered before leaving him to settle in. He had a meeting to attend to and it would be interesting to see if Luke would try to escape.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Luke took his jacket off and went to the viewport to look out, seeing the planet below. There was nothing that stood out enough to let him guess which planet it was, not that it really mattered. He had felt Ahsoka turn away once Vader had arrived, felt the brief apologetic nudge and he was glad they had retreated, better only one of them was captured. This wouldn’t help his case with those who believed Cracken though.

He felt the engines power up and the ship broke orbit before eventually going to lightspeed. He watched the stars streak by for a few minutes before going into the bedroom to get some sleep in a proper bed. He decided the Empire needed new decorators, the black and grey was everywhere and too much. He flopped onto the bed after removing his boots and closed his eyes to meditate a little before sleeping. He would need his strength when dealing with Vader, not that he had a plan at the moment. He would not turn.

TBC…

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: not mine

Chapter 14

When Luke woke it was to the sound of the door chime. He got up and stretched, relieved to find the pain was all but gone thanks to the medical care and meditation session. He moved to the front room and found the door opening to reveal a young man in uniform. They studied each other, Luke content to wait patiently.

“Lord Vader wishes you to have a full wardrobe,” the young officer told him, and Luke could sense his confusion over that. “There are Stormtroopers outside.” That was definitely a warning and Luke nodded.

“What do you need me to do?” he asked.

The Ensign put down a stool and motioned to it, so Luke stepped up on it, staying still as the other man moved about, taking measurements without ever getting too close, using some sort of scanner. “You can step down now,” he said so Luke stepped off. “Some basics will be delivered in a few hours; the rest will take a few days to ensure everything is to Lord Vader’s specifications. Do you prefer ankle or knee length boots?”

Luke was surprised to be asked. Of course, it had to be something he didn’t really have a preference in. “Knee, thank you,” he offered, and the Ensign felt briefly surprised but nodded and left.

Luke went to look out at the stars, they were still travelling, and he did wonder where they were going. After a few minutes he moved to the desk and turned the computer on, curious to see what his Father thought was educational or recreational. He wasn’t all that surprised to find the personnel list from the base, obviously Vader was keeping to their deal. There were some holonovels available in more than one genre which was nice as well as…he stared in shock. Technical data on the Executor! The Alliance would love to get their hands on that kind of detailed information. The training manuals got his attention as well. For now, as much as he didn’t want to, he began going through the list to find his attacker. He knew the kind of punishment that would be given, for daring to lay a hand on him, but it would keep the rest of the base safe.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Vader had felt his son wake but for now let him be, curious as to what he would do. They would meet up with the rest of the fleet soon enough and then they would receive their orders. He wondered how long it would take his Master to realise he had Skywalker. Would he command him to bring the boy to him immediately or allow him to begin Luke’s training himself?

He could feel exasperation from his son and assumed he was being confronted by someone from the Quartermasters office to be measured for his new wardrobe. He would not push an Imperial uniform on him, not yet. If he didn’t want Luke to fight him then he needed to take things slowly, show him how he could work from within the Empire to make things better, once they destroyed the Emperor. He would pardon his friends if that was what it took, so long as they ceased their actions against the Empire. Though the ones who had put the bounty out on Luke would feel his wrath. He would put his son on the Throne itself, give him the Galaxy as he had wanted to do with Padme. He was not suited for ruling, he knew that about himself now, he was much better in the military.

Luke would make a good Emperor, people wanted to follow him. He had been ‘a mere farmboy’ and yet he had built an elite squadron within weeks of the battle of Yavin, his men were loyal and excellent pilots. Luke’s youth and looks would be far easier for the public relations office to work with than his Master’s or his own. It was accepted for the children of the wealthy and high ranking to go through a rebellious stage, his was just a little more literal.

“Lord Vader?”

“Yes Admiral?” he was drawn from his thoughts by Piett.

“A message was received for you sir,” he handed over the message and Vader quickly read it.

Good, his agents had tracked down those who had accepted the bounty on Luke and ‘persuaded’ them to seek other work. He had withdrawn his own bounties as soon as Luke was safely aboard, as well as the nameless one that had been out on the pilot who destroyed the Death Star. The only one left was the one being funded Cracken. He would need to speak to Luke about that, see if his son knew why the man wanted him captured, at least it specified alive.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

The Gift landed neatly and powered down, the ramp soon lowering, Rex and Ahsoka walking down to find several people waiting for them, Artoo coming along behind them since they had stopped to retrieve him, though they’d left Luke’s X-wing behind in case he got away.

“Ahsoka,” Mon Mothma called, and she walked towards the ex-Senator.

Ahsoka smiled slightly at the older woman, bowing slightly. “It’s good to see you again, even under these circumstances.”

“Where’s Luke?” The young woman who looked so much like Padme stepped forward, obviously concerned.

“I’m sorry Princess, in buying us time to get to the ship…Luke was captured by Imperial forces on Felucia. Vader has him.”

The Princess, Luke’s sister, went white, the man beside her, she assumed Solo, wrapped an arm around her waist, steadying her.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Vader…” she whispered in horror. No…not Luke. The thought of him being interrogated like she had….of losing another limb…the things Vader could and would do to him.

“Breath Princess,” Han whispered, and she could feel the tension in his body, obviously remembering Cloud City.

“He’s alive Princess, I would feel if he died,” Fulcrum, Ahsoka, promised. “I can’t sense where he is, but I know he is alive and not currently in pain.”

“Currently?” she demanded.

“There was brief pain when we went after him, before Vader reached him. I would assume the base he was being held out had some very anti-rebel staff.”

“We should speak, privately,” Mon Mothma spoke up and Leia looked to her before nodding slowly. They walked to her office and she locked the door, turning on the jammers within to ensure complete privacy. It was just Leia, Han, Ahsoka and Rex, the others having left them. “Would I be correct in assuming you know who is behind the armour?” Mon looked at Ahsoka who nodded, looking sad.

“I faced him on Malachor and in our fight his mask was broken, I saw him.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Han had a sinking feeling in his gut as he listened to the two women. He had been a child during the Clone Wars and had watched everything available on the Hero with no Fear…Anakin Skywalker. He hadn’t put it together at first which made him kick himself. He’d had the General Kenobi on his ship! Had been unable to do a thing when he died except get the rest of them out of there. Once he’d realised that though, Luke’s parentage became very obvious. He’d heard of Commander Tano too, seen some images of her, especially during her trial. There was no doubt in his mind that this was her.

So discussing who was under Vader’s armour…his obsession with Luke...he was not likely where that was leading his thoughts at all. But…there had never been any confirmation of death for Skywalker unlike the rest of the Jedi Generals…and he’d been close to the then Chancellor.

“What are you talking about?” Leia looked between the two, frowning in concern.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Ahsoka took a deep breath, Luke should be the one to share this, but that option was gone now. “The man beneath the armour of Vader is one I once knew very well. He was my Jedi Master until I left the Order.”

She felt a flash of understanding from Solo and yes, he looked old enough to remember the Clone Wars. It seemed he’d put that much together at least, an arm around the Princess’ waist. Artoo beeped for their attention and began playing a recording of her with her old Master training together on board a ship.

The Princess gasped; eyes wide. “But that’s…I help Luke find the image…”

“Anakin Skywalker,” Ahsoka finished for her.

“No,” she shook her head in denial.

“Does Luke know?” Solo asked and Ahsoka nodded.

“He learnt the truth while training just before his confrontation with Vader,” she answered. “It seems the knowledge his son lived has…softened Vader. They spoke of Padme before fighting, he was incensed Luke hadn’t known of her, but he willingly told Luke about her,” she explained.

“Padme?” Mon Mothma asked in surprise. “Amidala is Luke’s Mother?”

In response, Artoo played the image of their wedding on Naboo.

“She’s beautiful,” Leia whispered.

“She looks a lot like you,” Solo pointed out.

Ahsoka saw the look Mon Mothma gave Leia but Padme had handmaidens who had looked like her so the link could be ignored. She could stay silent but that could also put Leia at risk if Luke was unable to keep her parentage secret. She glanced down at Artoo who whistled sadly before playing the last footage he had of his old Mistress. The room was silent as Padme gave birth to and named her twins, Obi-Wan Kenobi at her side.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Leia sat frozen in shock as she watched Luke’s birth and then…her own. “Luke is my brother,” she whispered. She knew, somehow…she’d always known.

She was the daughter of Darth Vader and Padme Amidala…she knew that name. She had been Senator for Naboo in the last days of the Republic, someone Leia had admired greatly. Being her biological daughter was fine. But...to be the daughter of Vader? Had he known on the Death Star? It explained his obsession with Luke.

“What will he do to Luke?” she asked, focusing on him. He was the one in danger now.

“I honestly don’t know,” Ahsoka admitted. “He wants Luke at his side. It would take both of them, working together, to kill the Emperor. Maybe even all three of us.”

“You would work with him?” Leia demanded.

“To destroy the Emperor? Yes,” she answered firmly. “Would I then have to face Vader? That would depend on his actions once the Emperor was dead.”

“What will Vader do if Commander Skywalker says no?” Mon asked.

“There’s no way to know.”

“Isn’t there something we can do?”

“It would be suicide to try and take him from aboard the Executor,” Ahsoka warned. “For now, we wait, and hope Luke makes contact.”

“The truth of his parentage will remain a secret between us. The decision has been reached to remove Cracken from High Command over his actions in placing a bounty on Commander Skywalker. He will be placed on trial for his illegal actions, hopefully we can find out why he is so determined to target Skywalker.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Luke sensed his Father’s approach and stood up to meet him. He actually used the chime which was nice, and Luke nudged their bond, so the door opened, and he walked inside.

“I trust the accommodations meet your approval.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever stayed somewhere so fancy,” he admitted. “I went over the personnel list you left.”

“And did you find your attacker?”

“Yes,” he admitted. He motioned to the screen and watched Vader go to look at it.

“We shall send word back to the Roche outpost and he shall be punished.”

Luke nodded; some punishment was understandable. Harming a prisoner against orders was insubordination. Had one of his men done something like that then he would have reported them. It was the level of punishment he was wary of. “What happens now?”

“That is up to you my son.”

“I won’t turn,” he swore, staring at his Father. “I will fight with you to bring down the Emperor,” he offered, sensing the shock his words caused. He managed a small smile. “I am a Rebel, Father, taking the Emperor down is our goal.”

“And after?”

“I don’t know.” Could he face his Father if he tried to take control of the Empire and keep it as it was? Would he be willing to work towards some form of true democracy with the Alliance? What would they think of Luke staying to help Vader? What would Ahsoka think? But he had to offer some kind of compromise and it was the best he could think of. Now the question was, would it be enough for his Father?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Luke’s words shocked him. He had expected him to swear never to Fall but…to be willing to fight at his side? Would he accept Vader’s plans to put him on the Throne? No, not yet. Let him adjust, see how he could change things from within, before suggesting it. The future could wait. He held his hand out to his son and this time, Luke took it. “It will take the two of us fighting completely in sync to defeat him.”

“Then I guess we’ll have to practise,” Luke answered, and the flash of nervousness was understandable considering how their duel had ended.

TBC…

This chapter did not want to work with me.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: not mine

Chapter 15

Leia curled up on her side on the bunk on the Falcon, still reeling from everything she’d learnt and yet…part of her wasn’t surprised at learning Luke was her brother. She wasn’t ready to even think of their paternity but the idea of being the daughter of Padme Amidala was far more welcome. Though, how could that woman have ever been with a monster like Vader? Her last words… had she truly believed there was anything redeemable about him?   She rolled over at the sound of a knock against the wall, finding Han in the doorway.

“Hey, you okay?” he asked, and she sat up, going to say she was fine but…

“No,” she admitted softly, and he moved into the room, slowly taking a seat beside her. She leant her head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her.

“I’m sure Luke’s fine,” he offered.

“In Vader’s hands?”

“You heard Lady Tano, Vader doesn’t want Luke dead.”

“He cut off his hand, Han,” she fought to keep her voice steady.

Luke was her brother, her twin brother, older than her by mere minutes and now he was in the hands of the Empire. Even if Vader didn’t want him dead, Luke was known as the one who destroyed the Death Star, a lot of Imperials would wish him dead for that.

“Luke’s smart and capable of being sneaky, we have to trust he can keep himself alive. You heard Lady Tano, even she would work with Vader to bring down the Emperor. We just have to trust him to survive.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Luke woke up, momentarily disorientated before remembering where he was. He stretched and then sat up, getting up to shower and dress in the clothing that had been delivered the night before. He stared at his image, he supposed he looked rather smart, even if the clothing was a bit too Imperial in fashion for his liking. Still, it was well made and comfortable enough, easy to move in should he need to fight. He left the bedroom to hear someone pressing the door chime. “Enter,” he called and the door opened to reveal an ensign with a tray of food who entered warily and put it down before leaving quickly.

Luke went to the desk and looked at the food, his Father had been right about the quality. He sat down and ate before going to look over the technical specs of the Executor, finding it fascinating. He spent time practicing as well, if they were going to go after the Emperor at some point then he needed to stay in top shape.

His routine remained the same for several days, with no sign of his Father, although he could sense him all around the ship. He didn’t feel concerned about anything, simply busy. Luke did wonder how much the crew knew and what they thought about his presence, especially since he wasn’t locked up in a cell.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Vader approached his son’s room, he knew Luck had sensed his approaching presence. He had not meant to leave him alone so long, but if he wished to keep his presence from his Master then he had to continue as normal. He’d felt Luke occasionally check on him, which was strange, but the boy had been keeping himself occupied. He felt Luke’s welcome and so simply opened the door and entered the suite to find his son standing, waiting for him. His ability to remain calm was truly amazing given everything.

“Father,” Luke greeted him.

“Luke,” his helmet dipped slightly as he greeted his son, pleased to see he was fully healed. “You have been keeping occupied?” he was unsure how to speak with the boy, it had been decades since he had attempted to just talk with someone. He saw his son’s lips twitch slightly, well, at least he had amused him.

“I’ve been studying the ship schematics and keeping in practice,” he shrugged slightly.

“I have some time now, the more we practice together the better,” he stated.

Luke hesitated but nodded. “Alright.”

“Very well, come with me.”

Luke grabbed his shoes and lightsabre, following him to Vader’s private training rooms.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Ahsoka sighed and looked away from the screen, needing a break. Going through Cracken's files was not enjoyable but necessary. They had to find out just what his issue with Luke was, even though the man was now locked up over placing a bounty on him without authorisation and a few smaller charges. She had been chosen to do it because she was a Jedi, they were hoping the Force would point her in the right direction, plus she’d been gone so long that she was seeing all the intel with fresh eyes.

She had felt no further pain from Luke, she hadn’t felt much of anything. She was worried about him, she knew how seductive the Dark side was, how easy it was to Fall without even realising you were on the path. She hoped that Luke would agree to face the Emperor with Vader if it was offered, that Vader would agree to it without pushing Luke to turn. That would be the best outcome because she knew he wouldn’t let Luke just leave…not unless it was the only way to keep him alive. Even as Anakin, he had been obsessive about keeping those he loved safe. She wasn’t sure he was capable of love anymore, but he definitely wanted Luke to live.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Luke sat down, drinking from the supplied water bottle. He was exhausted and he could feel his Father’s weariness as well. After three weeks, he no longer felt the instinctive fear whenever his Father’s lightsabre got close. He was moving passed the fear caused by their Bespin duel and the loss of his hand. That was good, it would make it easier to fight side by side.

He picked up his towel and ran it through his hair, breathing deeply, using the Force to help refresh himself.

“You are improving in every spar, Luke,” his Father spoke up.

“Thanks,” he stood up and stretched. They left the training room and headed back to their rooms.

“I wish for you to meet my Admiral.”

Luke glanced up at him, so far the only people he’d seen were the ones who had handled his wardrobe and those who delivered his meals. His Father’s section of the ship was kept empty for his privacy. “That’s Piett, right?” he asked to be sure, he knew his Father could go through senior staff rather rapidly at times.

“Indeed.”

Luke had seen the Alliance file on the man when he was made Vader’s Captain. He’d been promoted to Admiral during the mess after Hoth he’d heard but hadn’t seen any briefings on it due to being gone.

“Your Admiral?” he stressed, and his Father nodded. “Alright,” he agreed.

“I am meeting him at thirteen hundred in my office.”

“Which isn’t here,” Luke eyed him again, and Vader nodded. Luke smiled slightly, looked like he was getting a little more freedom.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Firmus walked into the office when the door opened at his approach, something he had become used to in his time serving with Lord Vader. He saluted and stood at parade rest, only then noticing a second figure in the room, someone he had only ever seen in holo’s….Commander Luke Skywalker. He was out of uniform and unrestrained, seemingly at ease in the presence of the man who had hunted him across the Galaxy. He’d heard of the new bounty on the younger man that were not Imperial funded, heard rumours that he’d split from the Alliance… was it possible it had all been a ruse? Was he actually one of them?

“Admiral, I assume you recognise Commander Skywalker. Commander, this is Admiral Piett,” Vader actually introduced him, and then the young Commander offered his hand.

Bemused, Firmus took it, finding he had a firm grip and strangely enough, no calluses on his hand at all.

“Admiral,” Skywalker greeted him.

“Commander.” He had known the Commander was the captured rebel but had seen and heard nothing, assuming Lord Vader had executed him personally at some point. He turned his attention back to Lord Vader who was watching them.

“The Commander shall be remaining on board for the foreseeable future. Certain plans will be put into action soon and he shall be aiding us in them.”

Well, that made sense, the Rebellion did want the Emperor dead after all. They said Skywalker was a Jedi, perhaps Lord Vader had sought his aid to end the Emperor since they were both Force users?

“I understand Sir. Is he to be given full run of the ship?” he asked politely.

Lord Vader looked at Skywalker who met his gaze calmly. “Yes, my son is to be allowed full access.”

Son?! Firmus felt like his brain shut down for a few minutes. Lord Vader had a son? Luke Skywalker…did that mean…he’d recognised the name Skywalker, who hadn’t known of General Anakin Skywalker during the Clone Wars? Did that mean that Lord Vader was once Anakin Skywalker? How had they ended up on opposite sides of the war? Then again, that made him being undercover with the Alliance more likely, except he had destroyed the Death Star and killed millions. He was very confused.

Skywalker frowned slightly as he watched him. “I am a member of the Alliance, not the Empire. I grew up believing my Father was long dead and only found out the truth shortly before our meeting at Bespin.”

“I see,” well he didn’t, not truly. He supposed finding out they were family would change things though.

“Admiral, if you would show him where the Officer’s mess is?”

“Of course my Lord, this way Commander.”

“I shall see you later,” Lord Vader nodded to his son who nodded in return.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Luke could feel curious eyes on them as they walked through the ship, doing his best to ignore them. His Father must trust his whole crew to allow him free reign, if any were the Emperor’s men then he would soon know where Luke was. “I’m sorry for the way that was sprung on you,” he offered.

“Working under Lord Vader prepares one for the unexpected,” the Admiral answered, and Luke chuckled.

“I guess it would.” They stepped into a turbolift and Luke felt his shoulders relax at the absence of stares. “You can ask.”

“Were you really captured?” Piett asked, and Luke nodded.

“Technically, I turned myself in to buy time for the rest of those with me. I had a take alive bounty, they didn’t.”

“I see.”

They got out and made their way into the mess, Luke pausing to stare around. The Alliance had nothing to match it! Officers did have their own areas but nothing so nice, they basically had the same as everyone else did but a bit of privacy.

He felt Piett’s pride at his admiration for the place. Alright, so the Empire could give its people more luxury than the Alliance could, but the source of that wealth was questionable. They made their way to the bar and Luke fought not to boggle at the menu, he’d been eating food from here the whole time, but obviously he’d been given the plainer options.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Allowing Luke free access was risky, would he try to run? He had done nothing to try and escape since being brought onboard, he wanted to believe Luke would stay. Then there was the other risk, of someone reporting his presence. They had worked carefully to ensure the Executor’s crew was loyal, but if someone let something slip to someone not on the ship… they had to be ready before the Emperor learnt of his presence.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Wedge flopped back onto his bunk, exhausted. How did Luke do it? He better come back soon because he was not cut out for command. He’d asked the Princess, since Cracken had been arrested, but something felt off with her answer. She was hiding something, then again she was part of Command and he was only a Captain, and a newly promoted one at that. They’d had to make him a Captain to let him stay in command of the Rogues, even if he hadn’t been up for another promotion. At least they hadn’t jumped him right up to Commander like Luke had been.

What really worried him, was that he’d seen the old soldier who had left with Luke back with the Fleet. So where was Luke?

TBC…

I know it’s short but it’s been sitting for months so I decided to post what I have.